By: Mohamed Sahr
In commemoration of World Mental Health Day, with the theme “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies”, the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), in collaboration with its partners, launched a multisectoral guidelines aimed at strengthening the mental health care system in Sierra Leone on Friday, October 10th, 2025.
In her keynote address, Manty Tarawalli, Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President, emphasized that World Mental Health Day serves as a reminder that there is no health without mental health. She cited a World Health Organization (WHO) report stating that over one million people globally are affected by mental, neurological, and substance use disorders.
The Minister underscored that this is the first time Sierra Leone has adopted a multisectoral guideline for mental health. She pointed out that the guidelines do not only focus on individuals directly affected by mental health issues but also reaffirm that mental health is a significant issue that requires urgent attention. She highlighted how mental health and well-being are impacted by public health epidemics, pandemics, and other experiences that cause emotional stress and distress.
The Minister also reflected on Sierra Leone’s history, noting that the country has endured war, epidemics, and disasters. She mentioned that Sierra Leone ranks among the poorest nations according to the Human Development Index, which makes this new guideline even more critical. She urged all stakeholders to respect the new guidelines and stressed that the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) framework represents a transformative shift toward a community-based approach rather than just a public health model.
Minister Tarawalli further emphasized that the new guidelines would ensure that non-clinical providers are trained and accredited through the Mental Health Secretariat. This initiative, she explained, will establish evidence-based standards in line with both national and global practices, ensuring that mental health care is accessible to the most vulnerable communities—especially during emergencies.
“The collaboration across sectors is crucial,” she stated, adding that no single sector can address mental health challenges alone.
Dr. Carol Labor, Technical Adviser for the Mental Health Secretariat at the NPHA, highlighted that with funding from development partners, the secretariat has already developed an MHPSS curriculum, pilot programs, and a series of frontline responder training initiatives, among other projects. She called for continued collaboration across sectors to eliminate drug-related issues and further strengthen the mental health care system across Sierra Leone.
“We need to focus on the early prevention of mental health issues,” Dr. Labor stressed.
Amara Sheriff, a representative from the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Health and the Mental Health Secretariat for their steadfast leadership in advancing mental health in Sierra Leone. He emphasized that the collaboration would continue to guide collective efforts to strengthen the mental health system, making mental well-being a crucial part of public health.
Sheriff noted that significant progress has been made, from the capacity building of frontline health workers to the integration of mental health services and the improvement of data systems to better understand and respond to mental health issues in communities.
David Kagbeni Muana, Deputy Team Lead of the Integrated Health and Public Health Approach Unit (IHPAU), emphasized the importance of a systems approach to mental health in Sierra Leone. He described mental health as encompassing an individual’s psychological, emotional, and social well-being, urging for its integration into the public health system so that families can receive counseling and support.
“Mental health is a systems approach that requires recovery across all human activities,” Muana said. He also highlighted that mental health, as a psychosocial support service, is a critical component of any emergency response in the country.
Both the Global Fund and the One Health Secretariat have shown their commitment to supporting the mental health system of care in Sierra Leone, pledging to assist in the implementation of the newly established guidelines.