Reimagining global mental health in Africa.

Journal: BMJ global health

Volume: 8

Issue: 9

Year of Publication: 2023

Affiliated Institutions:  College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Wilson Centre, University Health Network and Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Wilson Centre, University Health Network and Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada cynthia.whitehead@utoronto.ca.

Abstract summary 

In 2001, the WHO launched The World Health Report most specifically addressing low-income and middle-income countries (LAMICs). It highlighted the importance of mental health (MH), identifying the severe public health impacts of mental ill health and made 10 recommendations. In 2022, the WHO launched another world MH report and reaffirmed the 10 recommendations, while concluding that 'business as usual for MH will simply not do' without higher infusions of money. This paper suggests the reason for so little change over the last 20 years is due to the importation and imposition of Western MH models and frameworks of training, service development and research on the assumption they are relevant and acceptable to Africans in LAMICs. This ignores the fact that most mental and physical primary care occurs within local non-Western traditions of healthcare that are dismissed and assumed irrelevant by Western frameworks. These trusted local institutions of healthcare that operate in homes and spiritual spaces are in tune with the lives and culture of local people. We propose that Western foundations of MH knowledge are not universal nor are their assumptions of society globally applicable. Real change in the MH of LAMICs requires reimagining. Local idioms of distress and healing, and explanatory models of suffering within particular populations, are needed to guide the development of training curricula, research and services. An integration of Western frameworks into these more successful approaches are more likely to contribute to the betterment of MH for peoples in LAMICs.

Authors & Co-authors:  Wondimagegn Dawit D Pain Clare C Seifu Nardos N Cartmill Carrie C Alemu Azeb Asaminew AA Whitehead Cynthia Ruth CR

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations :  World Health Organization . The World Health report 2001. mental health: new understanding, new hope. 2001. Available: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/42390/WHR_2001.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y [Accessed 10 Jun 2023].
Authors :  6
Identifiers
Doi : e013232
SSN : 2059-7908
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Humans
Other Terms
Health policy;Health services research;Health systems;Mental Health & Psychiatry
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
England