Health organisations have called on more efforts and budgets to be allocated to mental health care as the global community observes World Mental Health Day.
As Tuesday (10 October) shines the spotlight on the escalating burden and impact of mental illnesses, organisations dealing with mental health have called for priority to be given to the scourge especially given that only 1 in 10 people in South Africa battling mental illness had access to treatment.
According to current statistics, 1 in 3 South Africans battled with or would have a mental illness at some point in their lifetime.
Under the 2023 theme: 'Mental Health is a Universal Human Right,' organisations such as the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), stressed that this was an opportunity for people and communities to unite, improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promoted and protected everyone’s mental health.
Dr Mashadi Motlana, SADAG Board Member and a psychiatrist said: "Mental health is a human right and there is no health without mental health. Mental health care is a human right and advocating for access and equity is a social justice issue."
"Nowhere in the world do mental health care services enjoy parity with physical health in terms of funding and it is partly due to the stigma around mental health that barriers to quality care, social integration and employment opportunities continue to exist."
The organisation's Cassey Chambers said what was even more worrying was the reduction of the National Health Budget at the beginning of the year, which ultimately affected the budget for mental health care which was already under strain due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Less than 4% of the national health budget is spent on mental healthcare, and most of that budget is allocated to inpatient hospital care. There isn’t nearly enough budget and resources allocated for outpatient programmes to help patients once they leave hospitals, and there isn’t enough money invested in community mental health systems,” explained Chairperson of the SA Mental Health Alliance, Dr. Mvuyiso Talatala.
"Our hospitals and medical facilities require enhanced mental health infrastructure. Investing in the expansion of mental health units within hospitals is crucial to accommodating the growing demand for services and improving the overall quality of care."
Just last month during World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, mental health was once more thrust into the spotlight as the Gauteng Department of Education raised concerns about the high number of learner suicides as a result of child and adolescent mental health challenges.
Numbers released by the department showed that there were as many as 300 learner deaths in the province since the beginning of the 2023 academic year, 40 of which were alleged suicides.
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