signing of the twinning agreement between Gauteng Department of Health's mental
health services and French Maison Blanche, Rosebank Hotel
29 November 2006
Programme Director,
Honourable Councillor, Mr Jean Vuillemoz from Paris and President of Hospital
Boards,
Representatives of the European Union (EU),
Representatives of the French embassy,
Members of the mental review boards,
Head of the Gauteng Department of Health,
Senior managers from the national and Gauteng Department of Health,
The twinning agreement we are about to sign tonight is a culmination of a
programme of collaboration that was begun in 2001. This programme of
collaboration was aimed at providing training for mental hospital managers in
South Africa, in rehabilitation, cost centering, handling of medical records
and staff retention.
We want to extend a warm word of welcome to Mr Vuillemoz and the delegation
from Paris and express the hope that relationships that we are building during
this visit will be of mutual benefit to both our institutions for many years to
come.
Programme Director, this twinning agreement is signed when we in South
Africa are already implementing the Mental Health Care Act of 2004. The World
Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as "a state of physical, mental and
social wellbeing and not merely an absence of disease."
Quite often we tend to neglect the issue of mental health because mortality
rates associated with it are relatively low when compared to other illnesses.
There is also a great degree of public ignorance and a tendency to associate
this with character weaknesses rather than a real illness which requires proper
healthcare.
I trust that this visit and the partnership that we are establishing will
help us to break through the barriers of ignorance, prejudice and
discrimination that are still present when we discuss issues related to mental
health.
Programme Director, I believe that we are beginning to fully understand the
psychological consequences of various social and personal disruptions that are
prevalent in our society. Here in Gauteng we have to deal with victims of
untold misery that resulted from violence which characterised our transition to
democracy as well as victims of women and child abuse and other social ills.
Quite often the psychological consequences of these traumatic experiences are
far worse than the physical ones.
Research here in South Africa and elsewhere indicates that one in five
people presenting themselves for general healthcare require mental health
assistance. However, the negative social stigma that is associated with mental
health problems contributes to people not acknowledging that they have such
problems.
That is why we have stepped up our efforts to equip our healthcare workers
to become sensitive to patients who present themselves with mental health
problems in order to provide appropriate care.
Programme Director, as government our message regarding mental health is
very clear:
* mental health problems can happen to anyone
* help is available
* people suffering from mental illnesses have a right to treatment, care and
rehabilitation with respect, dignity and privacy
* do not isolate and stigmatise people with mental health problems.
Programme Director, it is of historical relevance that this twinning
agreement is signed with our counterparts in France. According to records some
of the most important advances in the treatment of mental illness originated in
France some 200 years ago. A French psychiatrist named Dr Phillipe Pinel,
realised that keeping people in chains and isolated in so called "lunatic
asylums" was not only unnecessary, but prevented them from getting better. He
literally unchained mental patients and to his delight patients began to
recover from their mental illnesses. He took those chains that had bound
patients and melted them into a large bell which he called a bell of mental
liberation. It is said he and his colleagues went around the country ringing
the bell for liberation of all people with mental health problems.
The chains which shackle people with mental health problems might no longer
be made of iron, but as government we still bear the responsibility of ensuring
that chains such as over medication and poor diagnosis leading to wrong
treatment are removed. We need to ensure that all people are correctly treated
and given rehabilitation where appropriate.
We have a duty to transform mental health services to ensure that they
comply with the culture of human rights that was ushered in by the introduction
of the Mental Health Care Act. Mental health illnesses are inextricably linked
to human rights issues. Mental health patients and their families are affected
by stigma, discrimination and human rights violations. They practically have no
voice. Hence we as government have to ensure that as the most vulnerable
citizens, their conditions and plight are not neglected.
Our mental health hospitals in Gauteng have gone a long way in complying
with most of the minimum requirements for mental health services as you might
have witnessed in your visits to Tara and Sterkfontein hospitals, as well as
the Chiawelo Community Health Care Centre. These facilities have complaint
mechanisms which enable patient's families and interested parties to raise
issues pertaining to service delivery.
Programme Director, we value partnerships with all stakeholders and role
players such as Maison Blanche. I trust that this agreement will enable us to
make even faster progress to ensure a better life for our people who suffer
from mental illnesses.
I thank you!
Issued by: Department of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
29 November 2006
