Dr Mmatlana Mabeba
Mental health specialist
For South Africa to tackle the major challenges brought about by mental illness, the government needs to put more resources on infant mental health
Dr Mmatlala Mabeba, a psychiatrist with 29 years of experience in both the public and private sector, says mental health is at the centre of the country’s challenges and the best place to start in tackling the rising rate of alcohol and substance abuse, crime, gangsterism, domestic violence, gender-based violence and corruption, the government needs to intervene in the mental healthcare of pregnant women.
The 55-year-old Mabeba, who runs a successful private practice in the City of Tshwane, says when you add other challenges, such as a shortage of mental healthcare workers and the stigma associated with mental illness, you have a mental health disaster.
Mabeba studied for her medical degree and postgraduate degree at the Medical University of South Africa (Medunsa), now known as Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. She later specialised in child psychiatry at Wits and is currently enrolled for an Master of Philosophy degree in infant mental health at Stellenbosch University.
She says greater focus should be given to the mental wellbeing of pregnant women.
“We need to start with infant mental health – and it starts with pregnant women. We will deal with a lot of problems in our families, communities and society when we prioritise the mental health of pregnant women,” she says.
Mabeba, who was born and raised in Polokwane, says she was influenced by her father, who was a health inspector, to become a doctor.
“He made sure I met doctors … I did my internship in psychiatry and I fell in love with it. I have been in psychiatry even since,” she adds.