By:Audrey Raymonda John
Social Linkages for Youth Development (SLYDCL) a Non-governmental organization in Sierra Leone joined the global community in commemorating World Mental Health Day on the ‘theme mental health is a universal human right’
The Mental health day is commemorated annually to raise awareness on mental health issues around the world to encourage people with mental health that they too can be useful in society.
In his keynote address, the Executive Director of Social Linkages for Youth Development (SLYDCL), Habib T. Kamara said the country’s civil conflict in Sierra Leone subjected many people to psychological and emotional stress.
He said the first national mental health survey in 2002 showed that the prevalence of depression and substance abuse was about 4% and that 1 in 6 Sierra Leoneans would have some form of mild depression.
Mr Kamara added that although the government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health has been helping in ensuring that they equip hospital across the country and sensitize young people to abstain from harmful drugs.
Mr Kamara continued that Sierra Leone is joining other countries to address mental issues affecting the world, adding that his organization is working with vulnerable populations in Sierra Leone that are exposed to so many harmful drugs like ‘Canabis’, and the recent one that is killing young people which is “KUSH”.
He thanked the Ministry of Health and the Sierra Leone Police for the public health approaches to young people that are into drugs, he added that they have a very good relationship with the MoH and Police.
He said mental health has been an issue which nobody is talking about and the young people that are the future leaders are known into drugs, noting that the government needs to build a bigger facility for mental health patients’
He said the day is to provide an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
He added that his organization is working directly with people who use drugs and those that are not into drugs, noting further that his organization believes in foster an environment where they can help in solve drugs abuse.
He said the SLYDCL is also treating people with HIV, TB and other sexual transmitted diseases, said they are also providing services to all type of people that drugs addict with care.
Program Director for FoRUT Sierra Leone, said mental health has course a lot of problem without youth and drugs in take is common among the Sierra Leoneans youth.
He said ten percent of the adult populations have been into drugs during the last years, and the polarised drugs habits exposed in this study fit well with the general picture emerging from other studies of drugs consumption in Sierra Leone and the world.
Mr Kamara added that lot of drugs, and some of this consumption is quite open; this is particularly the case in Freetown. Such observations may easily lead us to think that the problem is larger than it actually is in Sierra Leone.
He urged the government and key stakeholders to come on board in helping the government to finding ways to how they can be able to solve the menace.
