INVEST MORE IN MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES IN VIEW OF COVID-19 TO AVOID SUICIDES

THERE is need to invest more in mental health now and encourage people to seek mental health services as they cope with the effects of the corona virus (Covid-19) to avoid people committing suicide because of the pyschological effects the global pandemic is having on humanity.

The emotional and psychological impacts of the corona virus pandemic can no doubt lead to feelings of hopelessness and thoughts about suicide cannot be avoided.

People have continued losing jobs everyday and others have had their businesses closed down and losing their only source of income specially with the second wave of the disease where we are recording more than 500 new corona virus cases on a daily basis as a country.

The result is that the cost of living for such individuals, their families and the nation at large will continue going up and thereby make people destitute, stuck and stranded and the only option for some who may not cope with the situation especially young people is suicide.

Most often, research has shown that suicidal thoughts are the result of feeling like you can't cope or recover when you're faced with what seems to be an overwhelming life situation. There's little data yet on the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the suicide rate. But clearly the pandemic has added intense emotional and mental stress to the lives of people around the world according to the World Health Organisation ( WHO).

People are simply depressed, stressed and this is where mental health services comes in handy.

Much as the Zambian government has invested in the health sector as evidenced by infrastructure development, I feel it is time to take mental health more seriously now than ever and encourage people to seek mental health services.

We have Chainama in Lusaka which has remained underutilised for a long time now because of the myths related to the institution where some uninformed people associate the health institution as a place for "Mad People" and because of such misinformation, people have shunned Chainama. Can we sensitise our people?

During my school days in the early 2000s we use to have Mental Health Clubs in schools where we could sensitise fellow learners on mental health although much of the focus was antidrug-related abuse message among the youth. Can we revive these clubs in schools too they could be helpful.

However, we need more specialised mental health institutions across the country so that people can begin accessing the facilities for counselling and how they can live in the "new normal" failure to which, we risk having Covid-19 - related suicides.

Let us be more proactive on such matters and avoid certain things from happening if we can and I know we can avoid our people resorting to suicide as a result of Covid-19.

My thoughts!