World Child Cancer’s Post

As neighbours, how can we share our respective indigenous knowledge to fight the rising extent of mental health challenges in our region? In cooperation we can facilitate the strengthening of country mental health policies to equitably embrace traditional approaches. SADC Science Academies are currently crafting the agenda to reinforce mental health care policies through indigenous approaches. #ScienceForPolicy #StrongerTogether Academy of Science of South Africa, Lesotho Academy of Science and Technology, Kingdom of Eswatini Academy of Sciences, Botswana Academy of Science (BAS), NETWORK OF AFRICAN SCIENCE ACADEMIES (NASAC) Department of Science and Innovation

If you're around Baltimore this weekend and want to learn what's happening in the public health space in Nepal (who doesn't? :D), come by Health Foundation Nepal 's annual conference. I will be sharing our experiences from Possible in two presentations: 1. Sharing our findings (with Sabitri Sapkota Devkota) from a pilot study to reduce domestic violence and depression among young women in Nepal. 2. Joining a panel discussion on improving community-based mental health services in Nepal with Kripa Sigdel, Binita Adhikari, and Sanjay Yadav

🚨 Did you know that a lack of basic data on #mentalhealth in Africa is hindering access to essential care? 💡 Without data that can clearly show the burden of mental illnesses, it is not possible to convince member states to commit to investment in mental healthcare or to request funds from partners. 🔍 Aviwe Funani, senior policy and advocacy officer- Child & Youth at United for Global Mental Health, emphasises that reliable #mentalhealth data will facilitate appropriate decision-making on mental health issues. 💬 Speaking to SciDev.Net at the #CPHIA2023 in Lusaka last week, Funani notes.... “Reliable data on mental health in Africa would be very valuable for us as an organisation to be able to increase the credibility of our advocacy processes when we speak to stakeholders. It also helps us increase the production of documents and recommendations that can help policymakers make decisions around mental health.” 🔗 Curious to delve deeper into this conversation? Check out the article linked below for more insights. 📰 https://lnkd.in/gEKjvEKC Health Data Collaborative World Health Organization Africa CDC #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAfrica #DataForChange #CPHIA2023

In an insightful discussion with Dr. Leyla H Abdullahi and Dr. Edna Ngare, we highlighted critical issues in mental health policies across Africa. 🌍 Key challenges include limited funding, stigma, and lack of access to care. However, there are significant opportunities to drive change: 🤝 Collaboration: Building multi-stakeholder partnerships to enhance service delivery. 📊 Data & Evidence: Prioritizing robust data collection to inform policies. 🔓 Accessibility: Addressing barriers like insurance coverage and stigma. 🗣️ Policy & Advocacy: Empowering advocates to prioritize mental health. ♻️ Sustainability: Ensuring long-term support for mental health programs. Together, we can foster a more inclusive environment for those affected by mental health conditions. 🌟 Have you applied for the Mental Health Data Prize Africa yet? Be part of this change and apply now! 📝 https://lnkd.in/dHeC_tQz #MentalHealth #Healthcare #Policy #Collaboration #Advocacy #Research

I have always emphasized that in Africa, there has been little or insufficient amount of awareness as regards mental health. Most people associate mental illness to spiritual problems and blame family or relatives for their symptoms . This is not right. I call on our leaders, advocates, human right activists to stand up for this course, increase awareness, support and improve the health sectors. “In Africa, many mental health conditions have received too little attention and concern by the general public, the general healthcare system, and elected and appointed public policy makers, resulting in inadequate priority being given to these disorders. We call on African Member States to invest more in addressing mental health issues in Africa”. Source: Africacdc.org

In the wake of conflict in the Karabakh region, Armenia, supported by @WHO, has reoriented its healthcare system to address a critical need—mental health. With almost one quarter of Armenian refugees potentially facing mental health challenges, WHO tailored trainings for local doctors, developed partnerships with local health providers, and supported an efficient referral system to enhance care and reduce stigma. Read more about this collaboration to meet the needs of those most impacted: https://bit.ly/3UJxuUI

In June 2023, the WHO and the World Bank held a conference in Kigali, Rwanda, bringing together several African countries, to discuss the important topic of integrating services for the care of chronic diseases and mental health. This topic is extremely relevant, as in most developing countries - including Latin America - mental health services are isolated and do not integrate with other health services, especially in primary care. This has serious consequences, including low levels of funding and neglect of mental health areas by health systems. I'm sharing the World Bank report that summarizes the topics discussed throughout this conference - I hope it's of interest to you. https://lnkd.in/egWtMv8a

🧐 Explore groundbreaking strategies in mental health assistance for displaced Ukrainian communities with our upcoming webinar! Join us as we shine a spotlight on three pioneering projects funded by EU4Health, led by HaDEA, that are revolutionizing mental health support amidst the ongoing crisis. 🧡 WELL-U has tailored essential tools and interventions to aid refugee children and caregivers in Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Romania. Discover how this initiative plans to conduct 18 trainings, equip 270 lay professionals, and reach approximately 780 beneficiaries. 🧡 U-Rise is dedicated to strengthening a European network of mental health experts, implementing face-to-face interventions in Slovakia, Poland, and Romania, and developing plans for wider scalability across the EU. 🧡 MESUR is bridging the treatment gap for displaced individuals with depression by translating the evidence-based intervention tool "iFightDepression®" into Ukrainian and Russian. Learn about its mission to provide immediate mental health support across Poland, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, and Estonia. 🙌 Reserve your spot now! https://lnkd.in/d-ikVn2P 🗣 Ukrainian interpretation will be available during the webinar! #MentalHealthSupport #UkrainianRefugees #InnovationInHealthcare #EU4Health #Webinar #WellU #URise #MESUR

I’ve worked around the world in #mentalhealth care – from clinical psychology here in the U.S., to clinical trials and implementation in Iraq, Ukraine, Myanmar, all over Africa, and so many other countries. Across all of these situations, I have seen the importance of efficient assessments and screenings that capture “comorbidities” – or put plainly, the presence of more than one problem.   During #NationalDepressionScreeningMonth, it’s important to acknowledge the need for better screening for things like depression—but also that many people are battling more than one issue at a time. At a time when demand keeps climbing, we need a better solution that fits with the #realworld better.   CETA Global Inc. is a way to address #comorbidities at the time of assessment, helping health care workers give better, personalized patient plans that address multiple issues at once. It’s better for the patient, provider, and the system. Find out more about what we’re up to today: https://lnkd.in/gP_8DSjp

Last month, GAO published my report on mental healthcare for diplomats and their families. Although the full report is over 50 pages, this blog post provides an excellent introduction to several key issues surrounding mental healthcare access for U.S. government workers living abroad. Check it out to learn more!