World Health Day this Sunday: Redefining mental health as a human right

On April 7, World Health Day will be celebrated globally. Mental health challenges will be discussed and how this narrative can be changed to make mental health also a right.

Elize Parker

April 5, 2024

South Africa needs to accelerate its focus when it comes to addressing mental health issues.

This is the opinion of Centurion-based motivational speaker and personal development councillor, Cobus Visser.

Visser said he is excited about this year’s theme, “My health, my right” for World Health Day on April 7.

“It is a good awareness campaign to champion the rights of every South African to have access to quality health services, education, and information,” said Visser.

His focus is on mental health as a human right.

This is the cause that he has been championing because of his own struggles with his health as a haemophiliac being in constant pain and the emotional and psychological effects it had on his mental health.

“Mental health is a human right. We must insist on the promotion of this right in South Africa and on adequate, accessible and affordable mental health care services.

“It is services that need to be accessible and affordable. People struggling with mental health illnesses should be given help by professional people, supportive communities and by giving them a tool or technique to cope,” said Visser.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has found that at least 140 countries recognise health as a human right in their constitution.

Yet countries are not passing and putting into practice laws to ensure their populations are entitled to access health services.

World Health Day will be celebrated globally when many health systems worldwide are looking for ways to address capacity issues and funding for essential services.

Mental health is becoming a growing focal point, with many asking if enough is being done to address the issue appropriately.

A 2009 study points out that nearly 20% of South African adults reported that they were suffering from impaired mental health.

The study adds that less than a quarter of this population seeks treatment to address these conditions.

Visser believes that more South Africans are suffering from mental health challenges than officially known.

“In South Africa, there are a lot of challenges around mental health. One of these is still the stigma attached to making it known to your family, friends or communities. We have different cultures in South Africa. We all tend to be emotionally strong and do not want to show weakness,” said Visser.

He especially focuses in his development work on the mental health of males as he has experienced that they are not as open in seeking help for mental issues as their female counterparts.

A 2019 study points out that females are more open to seeking help for mental health issues than their male counterparts.

In 2019, over 13 000 suicides were reported in South Africa, of which over 10 000 were male.

Visser is concerned about the shortage of and accessibility to mental health care in South Africa.

The WHO Global Health Observatory Data Repository reports that there are only 1.52 psychiatrists for every 100 000 South Africans.

Further, 73% of these psychiatrists operate within the private sector, and only 50% of South Africa’s public hospitals have psychiatrists.

“Where there is accessible care, it is often unaffordable. People in lower income groups would often much rather look after their families than face their mental health challenges. We must expand these services to especially the rural areas,” said Visser.

Mehnaaz Olla, the spokesperson for Mancosa’s School of Healthcare, said the world has changed and females are increasingly becoming co-providers for their families.

“The government needs to lead a campaign that addresses this, the stigma attached to mental health issues, and the pressures of being the major financial provider for their family,” said Olla.

“Social media has been the root cause of many mental health issues as the youth use the channels to compare themselves with others and to keep up with global trends,” she said.

It is also a platform where significant cyberbullying takes place. When we were bullied at school, we could come home and enter a safe place to enjoy some time away from the problem. The forever connected nature of the internet and social media does not offer this luxury,” Olla pointed out.

She believes that provided specific interventions are implemented within the next five years South Africa can lead the continental charge regarding a holistic approach to addressing mental health.

To her, the proposed National Health Insurance is also a perfect opportunity to change the African mental health narrative.

“Advancements in technology can offer significant levers of value when designing a universal health system that promotes equitable access to quality healthcare for all South Africans,” said Olla.