In many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, less than 15% of the population has access to mental health care, which can make people with more serious illness very vulnerable to neglect, exclusion, and physical and sexual abuse. CBM – an international disability and development organization – works extensively with governments and local partners, using mhGAP as a tool in supporting countries to reform their mental health services. In addition to using its clear, evidence-based guidelines for medical and psychosocial care, local leaders and advocates are using mhGAP resources to support countries that have embarked on progressive reform of their mental health services.
In the five anglophone countries of Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, the mental health Leadership and Advocacy Programme (mhLAP), led by the University of Ibadan, has operated since 1999. The programme strengthens local advocacy coalitions, engages with governments and builds leadership capacity through an annual African region short course. In several countries, significant progress has been made in policy and legislation, and in the commitment of governments to health system reform.
In this way, we will reinforce the exciting positive change we have seen, implementing improved policy and global frameworks like the Mental Health Action Plan, and show that even in these most challenging environments, people can access care so that no one is left behind.
Dr Oye Gureje, WHO Collaborating Centre, University of Ibadan
Since 2015, the second phase of the programme has been building on these important reforms:
- In addition to fostering leadership and public health skills, mhLAP trains national “master trainers” in mhGAP. These master trainers then use their skills to build an effective workforce throughout the health system. The new mhGAP Intervention Guide 2.0 will further enable access to the information that field-based practitioners need to ensure high standards of care.
- Strengthening national mental health coalitions using the WHO QualityRights toolkit enables them to effectively advocate for quality services – ones which promote the dignity of users and build community networks for peer support.
- These newly emerging community networks also provide an important platform for activities focused on challenging stigmatizing attitudes negatively impacting the lives of people with psychosocial disabilities associated with mental illness.