There is no health, without mental health! – was a call made during the first-ever national mental health dialogue held today in Dar es Salaam in commemorating the World Mental Health Day 2022.

Under the theme, “Make Mental Health and Wellbeing for All a Global Priority”, the event was graced by Hon. Ummy Mwalimu, Minister for Health together with the Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Hon. Mwanaidi Ali Hamisi; Chair of the Health and Social Services Parliamentary Committee, Hon. Stanslaus Nyongo; the Acting WHO Representative, Dr. Zabulon Yoti and UNICEF Deputy Representative, Mr. Ousmane Niang.

Highlighting key findings from the WHO World Mental Health Report launched in June 2022, Dr. Yoti briefed the audience, “The report shows that, in 2019, 1 in 8 people globally had a mental disorder, making approximately 970 million people. Additionally, 1 in 100 deaths globally resulted from suicides, with more than 50% of the cases occurring before 50 years. Suicide is the fourth most prominent cause of mortality among 15- to 29-year-olds. Childhood sexual abuse and bullying contributed considerably to the loss of active life due to mental health. People with mental illness are susceptible to widespread stigma and misinformation and may lose life 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population”.

WHO report outlines three interconnected paths required to transform Mental Health Services in countries. “First, is to deepen the value and commitment we give to mental health. The national dialogue today is a testimony of government’s commitment to support mental health in the country”, said Dr. Yoti. “Second, we need to reshape environments that influence mental health across the life course in ways that reduce risks and strengthen protective factors so that everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive and reach the highest attainable level of mental health and well-being, from young to older ages. And third, we ought to strengthen mental health care so that the full spectrum of mental health needs is met through a community-based network of accessible, affordable, and quality services and support”.

To advance continental efforts towards equitable access to mental, neurological and substance abuse care, Dr. Yoti urged the Government to prioritise implementation of the Framework to Implement the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan in the WHO African Region. “This requires, among other things, increasing government expenditure on relevant services, and mobilising resources from partners”, he said.

Dr. Yoti further emphasized on the need to strengthen the mental health and psychosocial response in humanitarian emergencies, including COVID-19 and Ebola, which have a significant negative impact on school-age children and our health care workers. Mental health and psychosocial support are integral to any successful response.

Remarks from the UNICEF Representative, Mr. Ousmane Niang, emphasized the need to focus on mental well-being for children and adolescents. “Mental health risks can manifest themselves at all stages of life, but those that occur during developmentally sensitive periods, especially early childhood, are particularly detrimental. For example, harsh parenting and physical punishment is known to undermine child health and bullying is a leading risk factor for mental health conditions. We must work together to strengthen a collective response to mental health and enable a transformation towards better mental health for all”, he said.

On behalf of the Health and Social Services Parliamentary Committee, Hon. Stanslaus Nyongo said, “This national dialogue is timely. We are ready to do what it takes to strengthen enabling environment including advocating for reform of policies and legislation promoting mental well-being”.

Opening the dialogue, the Guest of Honor, Hon. Ummy Mwalimu said, “Mental Health is a neglected subject because of stigma around it driven largely by misinformation. Today, we have decided to break the silence. We have gathered here today to talk about mental health as a nation and propose what needs to be done”.

“It is unfortunate that inadequate financing for mental health continues to be the biggest limitation, negatively impacting efforts to expand mental health workforce and services.  The scarce resources concentrated at national and regional levels, leave people at community and primary care levels critically underserved. We need to look into ways to establish wellness clinics that can be accessible by all, at all levels”, said Hon. Ummy.

“Government spending on mental health globally, not excluding Tanzania, is still well below the recommended US$2 per person, with mental health not featuring in national health insurance schemes. This dialogue should come out with clear recommendations on how we can include wellness services into our national health insurance scheme. The best way forward is having an integrated approach to mental health,” added Hon. Ummy.

Keynote address by Dr. Jessie Mbwambo shed insights on the burden of mental health conditions as well as distribution of workforce showing that the need for action on mental health is indisputable and urgent. Dr. Mbwambo also described in details affordable, effective and feasible strategies that can be leveraged to promote, protect and restore mental health in the country. The keynote address also called for the need to invest in evidence generation through local research on the burden and determinants of mental health leading to local home-grown solutions to the challenge.

The dialogue also had an opportunity to hear voices of people with lived experience of mental health conditions. Their courage in telling their story is laudable and humbling; it is by listening to more and more experiences like theirs that we can learn how to offer better support and normalize conversations.

Recognizing partners’ contribution to the event, Hon. Minister of Health awarded a plaque of appreciation to the World Health Organization which was received by Dr. Zabulon Yoti on behalf of the organization.

WHO will continue to work with the Government and all key actors to deepen the value afforded to mental health, to reshape the environments that negatively impact mental health, and to strengthen the care systems to make mental health care accessible to all Tanzanians.

The National Mental Health Dialogue is expected to tease out key gaps and challenges that require collective action to make mental health and well-being for all a truly national priority.