By Nelson Manneh
Mental health in The Gambia faces significant challenges, including limited access to services, high rates of mental disorders, and strong societal stigma.
While the government works to improve services, many Gambians, particularly those in rural areas, struggle to get the help needed, as the government strives to combat mental health issues with limited resources, amid the registration of a significant number of cases without any decentralized mental health care system in the country.
The primary mental health facility in the Gambia is the ‘Tanka Tanka’ Psychiatric Hospital, a government-run inpatient facility that diagnoses and provides care for both male and female patients of all ages. There is also a single psychiatric outpatient clinic and a community mental health team that visits rural areas on a scheduled basis. Despite a mental health policy and strategic plan, access to care remains limited, particularly in rural areas.
Recently, the government of the Gambia, through the Ministry of Health, validated the new mental health policy, which aims to improve access to quality mental health care services that will integrate these services into a broader healthcare system and promote human rights for individuals with mental and substance use disorders. The key objectives of the policy include the expansion of services, the reduction of stigma, and the integration of care into community settings. The policy emphasizes the integration of mental health services into the general healthcare system to make them accessible in community settings.
The National Human Rights Commission also developed an advisory note on Mental Health, which provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of mental health services in The Gambia, shedding light on their accessibility and quality as a guaranteed mental health right. The note also serves as the groundwork to emphasize the critical need for the prompt enactment of the Mental Health Bill, 2019, and the subsequent imperative of its effective implementation and enforcement.
Mrs. Mam Jarra Margea, the National Mental Health Program officer, said the new policy seeks to promote the protection and respect of human rights for individuals with mental and substance use disorders. She said the policy encourages community participation in mental health care delivery, including the involvement of various stakeholders like local associations for psychological rehabilitation. She said the policy focuses on strengthening the capacity of healthcare providers for diagnosis, management, prevention, and control of mental and neurological disorders.
“The policy promotes decentralization of authority, resources, and services for mental health care, allowing for more participatory decision-making at the primary health care and community levels, including the engagement of consumers and family members,” she stated.
The National Mental Health Program officer said mental health is a concern and requires a collective approach to tackle it.
“Mental Health care givers struggle with limited resources to give care to their patients,” she said.
Banjul North MP Hon. Modou Lamin Bah, the Vice Chair of the National Assembly Select Committee on Health, said mental health is everybody’s business, and it is the responsibility of everybody to make sure that those affected are taken care of.
“As a lawmaker, our primary function is to make sure that Gambians are provided with the necessary facilities and resources that will promote their well-being. We will continue to make sure that the health sector is well funded to meet the healthcare demand of the people,” Hon. Bah said.
Mr. Hagie Gai Drammeh, the founder of Gai Drammeh Foundation for Disabilities, said that The Gambia’s mental health services are limited, with a significant portion of the population facing challenges accessing such care services, especially persons with disabilities.
“Societal beliefs that mental illness is due to spiritual causes or punishment discourage people from seeking help. This is exacerbated by the lack of awareness about mental health issues and the stigma associated with them. This is worse with persons with disabilities. They are mostly abandoned in such situations, and are left to struggle on their own,’’ Mr. Drammeh said. He said many Gambians are unaware of the nature of mental health disorders and how they can be managed, and said this lack of awareness contributes to the stigma and reluctance to seek help. He said the high cost of treatment and transportation, as well as the lack of accessible facilities, make it difficult for many Gambians to access care, particularly for those in rural areas.
“There is a lack of comprehensive data on the prevalence and impact of mental health disorders in The Gambia, making it difficult to assess the true extent of the problem,” he noted.
