awareness event held at the provincial hospital, in Mafikeng
10 October 2007
Today is one of the most significant days in our health calendar. It is an
important day because we are all gathered here to mark the launch of the Mental
Health Awareness Month and to celebrate our achievement in mental health
through this day, Mental Health Awareness Day. The Mental Health Awareness
Month has become such an important month since our new democratic government of
national unity saw the need to correct the state of mental health in the
country which was in adverse state pre 1994.
It is well documented that pre 1994 mental health services were primarily
disintegrated and alienated from the broader healthcare system of the country.
It therefore became imminent that one of a paradigm shift in the restructuring
of the country's healthcare sector would become a need to integrate mental
health services into the mainstream health sector. We can all now attest to the
fact that, 12 years down the line, our government and the Department of Health
in particular has made significant progress in improving the mental health
services.
One of the landmarks in this instance has been the repeal of the old
apartheid policies and the introduction of the Mental Healthcare Act, No. 17 of
2002 which completely changed our perceptions and approach towards mental
healthcare services. We continue to change perceptions towards mental
healthcare services and the users of such services by engaging on awareness
campaigns like this one.
With the Mental Healthcare Act, No. 17 of 2002, our main aim has been to
provide for the care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons who are mentally
ill; to set out different procedures to be followed in the admission of such
persons; to establish Mental Health Review Boards in respect of every health
establishment; to determine their powers and functions; to provide for the care
and administration of the property of mentally ill persons and to repeal
certain laws which were not favourable to conducive mental healthcare services.
The Mental Healthcare Act recognised first and foremost that the Constitution
of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996), prohibits against
unfair discrimination of people with mental or any other disabilities.
In this regard, we recognised that:
* health is a state of physical, mental and social well being and that
mental health services should be provided as part of primary, secondary and
tertiary health services
* that the person and property of a person with mental disorders or mental
disabilities, may at times require protection and that members of the public
and their properties may similarly require protection from people with mental
disorders or mental disabilities and
* further that there is a need to promote the provision of mental healthcare
services in a manner which promotes the maximum mental well-being of users of
mental healthcare services and communities in which they reside.
In complying with the Act, we are happy as the Department of Health
that:
* We have trained health professionals on various new procedures and
processes that were introduced by the Act. There is a need to continue with
this training to ensure our employees understand and adhere to the new
procedures for admission, referral, reviews, etc.
* Our province has established a Mental Health Review Board and that the board
is an independent body charged in terms of the Mental Healthcare Act to oversee
care, treatment and rehabilitation of those who were admitted without
consent.
I am pleased that the South African Federation for Mental Health and the
World Federation for Mental Health will be actively involved in awareness
campaigns for Mental Health Awareness Month and that the Department will
continue to interact with them for purposes of sharing ideas on how best to
improve on the mental health services of our province. We must place the
elimination of stigma and isolation of persons with mental disabilities at the
centre of our campaigns as a way of making sure that people with mental
disabilities becomes accessible to us as healthcare service providers. We all
know how devastating the effects of stigma and isolation can be even to
mentally able people, now you can image how adverse they are to the mentally
disabled.
I guess this point bring me to the theme for this year's Mental Health Month
which is, "Mental Health in a Changing World: The Impact of Culture and
Diversity". The emphasis on this theme is placed on Trans-Cultural Mental
Health Issues. This theme looks deep into the effects of culture on the many
aspect of mental health, including how individuals from a given culture
communicate and manifests their symptoms, their style of copying, their family
and community supports and their willingness to seek treatment and service
delivery.
We also recognise that, in mental healthcare setting, culture impacts on how
people:
* label and communicate distress
* explain the causes of mental health problems
* perceive mental health providers
* utilise and respond to mental health treatment
In short, this theme recognises that people are probably more tied to their
cultural and ethnic beliefs when ill than when feeling well. This must then
tell us that, South Africa being a multi cultured country is bound to face
challenges which include the question of how can we give the best mental
healthcare possible if we don't take into consideration the differences of
those we are trying to help and indeed the question of how do we overcome the
barriers of language and cultural differences, views of mental illness, gender
issues, and different training and teaching methods.
Programme Director, I believe this year's theme is an eye opener for all of
us in as far as ensuring that we become broad minded about mental health
issues. It will certainly elicit debate to all mental health stakeholders who
are eager to improve the provision of mental healthcare services in our
country.
It thus become necessary for all mental health stakeholders including mental
health societies, Non-governmental Organisations, women's groups, religious
leaders or tribal elders to work together for a common understanding of how we
all want to take mental healthcare forward. A great deal of dialogue and
awareness-raising may be needed to persuade others to accept new ways of
thinking, especially ones that challenge beliefs closely tied to individual and
social identity.
As the department, we will constantly research new ways to improve mental
healthcare services in our country. We will also continue to invest in science
and knowledge of this area of specialisation with a view to rob in the best
personnel to continually improve on the state of mental healthcare in our
province. I am pleased that we also continue to invest significantly in terms
of budget and infrastructure. In terms of infrastructure, the particular aspect
of security in our facilities will continue to be upgraded so that they become
mental health friendly while accommodating all our clients.
At community level, we also need to prepare men and women with mental
illnesses to work and lead a healthy lifestyle just like the rest of us. This
is a challenge we are yet to over come as government and as various
communities. I am however confident that the mental support groups, NGOs and
societies that we have will go a long way into assisting the process. The same
goes to the South African Federation for Mental Health, the World Federation
for Mental Health and the broader health stakeholders who hold dearly the
health and well being of our people at heart. I urge all us here today to
sustain our campaign throughout the Mental Health Month and beyond so that we
can begin to position Mental Health in a changing world were trans-cultural
issues relating to mental health need to be clarified.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Health, North West Provincial Government
10 October 2007
