The Gauteng department of health held a two-day mental health seminar at the Birchwood Hotel and O.R Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg at the weekend.
The seminar, held under the theme “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right”, was part of the department’s efforts to reinforce interventions in the fight against mental health issues.
It sought to empower civil society, health workers and other stakeholders on raising awareness about mental health, mental illness and promotion of the rights and responsibilities of mental healthcare users.
It also aimed at bridging the gap on access to mental health services in the province by ensuring integration of mental health at all levels of care and also availing the required human resources.
Burden of mental health disorders
In addition, the seminar looked at the current increase in the burden of mental health disorders that can be attributed to the socio-economic status of people and a rise in substance abuse.
As the month of October, dubbed mental health awareness month, comes to a close, the department has dug deep in its resources increase mental health services.
It has strengthened its district health services, established district specialist mental health teams and clinical community psychiatric teams, and non-government organisations governance and compliance teams.
The department said in a statement that it is in the process of implementing a number of other interventions to increase resources for mental health.
These include mental health specialised professionals and rehabilitation services in order to improve access and availability of mental health services across the province.
Various facilities refurbished
Tshepo Shawa, spokesperson for the MEC for health in Gauteng, said: “A number of Gauteng facilities have already been refurbished while others are undergoing refurbishment to ensure an addition of 206 acute mental health beds by the end of the 2023/24 financial year.
“These hospitals include Bertha Gxowa, South Rand, Tshwane District, Thembisa, Edenvale, Dr George Mukhari and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
“Currently, the province has 1 896 acute mental health beds.”
Shawa added that the department is working with other stakeholders to apply universal preventive measures that reduce the risk of mental ill-health.
This includes the promotion of social inclusion policies, support and direct investment for vulnerable groups and investment in communities and young people to reduce crime.
The department stressed that an increase in support is needed for wellbeing interventions across the life course from pregnancy, birth, early childhood, early teens, adulthood to older adulthood, and to improve the social determinants of health, as well as to address mental health stigma and discrimination.
Shawa said the Gauteng College of Nursing is addressing the limited graduate output leading to shortages of mental healthcare practitioners and specialist nurses by advocating for accreditation of the programme.
Efforts have already been made to train nurses to fulfil the requirements and meet the imminent mental healthcare needs.
