16 October 2024 by Limpho Sello

Est. Read Time: 4m 18s

Listen to this article:

---

In Lesotho, nearly 431,000 people are affected by mental illnesses, according to the country’s newly approved Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan for 2023-2027.

Health Minister Selibe Mochoboroane said this Strategic Plan was approved by the cabinet two months ago.

“Two months ago, the Ministry of Health presented the Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan before cabinet and cabinet approved that Mental Health Policy,” Mochoboroane announced.

He made the announcement during Lesotho’s commemoration of the World Mental Health Day in Qholaqhoe, Botha-Bothe.

During the event, Mochoboroane emphasised the urgent need for action, a concern echoed in the newly approved policy, which reveals that recent analysis shows the overall prevalence of mental health conditions in Lesotho is 20.8 percent.

“Meaning that as many as 431,000 people in Lesotho are living with a mental disorder at any given time,” states the Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan.

This includes approximately 5,177 people with depression, 879 with psychotic disorders, and about 165 with epilepsy.

The policy also reveals that the percentage of people with mental disorders in Lesotho is higher than in any other country included in the study.

For instance, 14.1 percent of people in Malawi have mental disorders, while Liberia and Haiti have rates of 16 percent.

These figures highlight the global prevalence of mental health issues, but in Lesotho, as noted by World Health Organization (WHO) Acting Country Representative Dr. Mary Stephen, the situation is further complicated by factors such as drug abuse.

Dr. Stephen also noted that Lesotho’s high suicide rate is indicative of the broader mental health crisis.

“Mental health is more than the absence of disorders; it’s about being able to cope with life’s stresses and contribute meaningfully to society,” Dr. Stephen said.

Dr. Stephen’s statement highlights the broader understanding of mental health, yet despite this awareness, the Strategic Plan acknowledges that mental healthcare in Lesotho remains severely underfunded and largely inaccessible to those in need.

Mochoboroane outlined plans to revitalise mental health facilities at the district level to alleviate congestion at Lesotho’s sole mental health facility, Mohlomi, which has been struggling with overcrowding and underfunding.

Sehlooho Seeiso, a mental health caregiver at the hospital in Botha-Bothe, interacts with patients daily. On October 10, 2024, during the World Mental Health Day commemoration event in Lesotho, Seeiso highlighted drug abuse—particularly marijuana and crystal meth—as a major contributor to the country’s escalating mental health crisis.

The closure of the Blue Cross Society of Lesotho in 2022 is believed to have exacerbated the problem of untreated drug and alcohol abuse. The Blue Cross, the country’s only rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addicts, was heavily reliant on funding from the Ministry of Health. It was forced to shut down after a seven-year funding dispute with the ministry remained unresolved.

The impact of this closure continues to be felt across the country, with many struggling to access the necessary support for addiction recovery.

Mochoboroane says there is an urgent need to reopen rehabilitation centres for drug and alcohol abusers, such as the Blue Cross in Thaba-Bosiu and the Morija center, which were previously shut down.

 “We are working to re-establish these centres to relieve pressure on Mohlomi Hospital,” he said, adding that both drug abuse and mental illness need to be tackled collectively by communities and the government.

Don’t spare the rot

As Lesotho marked World Mental Health Day in Qholaqhoe, Butha-Buthe, on October 10, 2024, Seeiso urged parents and communities to take a stronger stance against drug use, especially among children. He said this could curb the rising tide of mental health disorders.

“We need to discipline our children early and teach them about the dangers of drugs before it’s too late,” he said.

He believed the following are fundamental needs for children to thrive: “They need nice clothes, good food, safe shelter, love, and care from both parents, and the chance to go to school.”

When these basic needs are met, Seeiso said he believes, children are less likely to turn to drugs.

One of his patients, Mapakiso Selimo, spoke about how she overcame her initial reluctance to seek treatment for her mental health issues.

With Seeiso’s support, she said she was able to start treatment and is now able to care for herself fully.

 “I didn’t even want to bathe when I was sick, but now I do it without any stress. I feel healthy again,” she said.

Community concerns 

Malefetsane Tšoloane, speaking on behalf of the Principal Chief, addressed the rising mental health issues in rural villages, largely driven by emotional stress and substance abuse.

 He called on teachers to be vigilant in monitoring students for signs of drug use, as early intervention could prevent more severe mental health conditions.

 “Let’s work together as village health workers, chiefs, and teachers to ensure those showing signs of mental illness get to a health facility for treatment,” he urged.

Meanwhile, the Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan stressed on community involvement. It sought to coopt village health workers as strategic partners in the treatment of mental health illnesses in Lesotho.

“Village health workers to offer basic counselling, psychoeducation and psychological first aid; VHW with support of community members to offer emergency first aid care for people presenting with neuropsychiatric symptoms e.g. epileptic attack,” read the Strategic Plan.

During the World Mental Health Day in Lesotho, Mechachane legislator Jane Lekunya expressed alarm over the increase in mental health disorders and suicide rates among children, attributing much of this to drug abuse.

“Children are running away from home, living on the streets, and some are even overpowering their parents. These are all signs of untreated mental health disorders,” he said.

Lekunya appealed to the Minister of Health to ramp up mental health education, especially in schools and rural communities, to combat the rising crisis.

He noted that mental health issues, often exacerbated by the pressures of social media and unmet expectations, are contributing to a surge in youth suicide rates.

“Children are trying to copy unrealistic lifestyles they see online, and when they can’t, it leads to depression,” he explained.