Time to talk about mental health Join the Movement.

I recently attended the first of its kind SA Mental health conference in Johannesburg hosted by the FPD (Foundation for Professional Development) and the SA Dept of Health.

It was attended by a few high-profile government officials (e.g., Health Minister Joe Phaahla), passionate NGO’s, very experienced academics and other members of the health care and scientific community.

For me, the highlight was seeing how many professionals are hard at work trying to address mental issues, with little or no governmental support.

Much of the outcry from those organizations was lack of funding, insufficient staff, inhumane working conditions, and roadblocks in government.

I was shocked to learn of the advanced policies in mental health that are in existence, but not implemented.

I was even more appalled to learn that mental health was removed from the nursing undergraduate program, so now we have young nurses being released from school with no understanding of mental health.

Minister Phaahla mentioned that government is looking to fast track interventions, but couldn’t explain how billions disappear from the budget, the very budget that is allocated to those interventions.

Department health care workers decried the lack of support to HIV patients because the mental health care of this sector of patients was removed from the mental health budget and reallocated to the depleted HIV budget.

It was upsetting listening to other governmental officials appeal to NGOs to work and support the government with human resources and funding, yet those very institutions are forced to work in isolation because they cannot get an audience with government.

But not all was doom and gloom.

Not all was government bashing.

What was amazing to see is just how industrious and inventive those avidly working with mental health have become.

It was inspiring to see that we are not alone.

People are working under the radar, workers have managed to remain self-motivated, professionals are focused on their cause and the people of South Africa, who need mental health care are benefitting from these unrelenting workers.

Conferences like this, if anything, open our eyes to other like-minded professionals in both the department and private sector.

We realize that we can partner, without fear or intimidation, so that we can advance the work.

No need to reinvent the wheel, we can expand and make advances in the journey to heal mental health.