Lesotho grapples with escalating mental health challenges
Lesotho, a landlocked nation in southern Africa, is grappling with severe mental health challenges, with suicide rates significantly exceeding global averages.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Lesotho has an annual suicide rate of 87.5 deaths per 100,000. This rate is nearly ten times the global average of nine suicides per 100,000 people, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Root Causes and Contributing Factors
Several interrelated factors contribute to Lesotho’s mental health struggles. Unemployment and limited opportunities play a significant role. Despite efforts to educate its population, Lesotho faces a shortage of job opportunities. Many university graduates find themselves unemployed, leading to frustration, depression, and a sense of hopelessness.
According to the World Bank, two out of every five young people in Lesotho are unemployed or not in school, making a sizable portion of the population susceptible to mental health issues.
These alarming statistics are the reason that NGOs, such as HelpLesotho, are determined to change by equipping young people with the skills to manage their mental health.
“Our young people are driven, and they are looking towards achieving their goals, and it is very difficult in a country where there are limited resources and limited opportunities for them to either exercise the skills that they have acquired from the institutions of education because we see a lot of kids graduating from tertiary, but there is no system to help them survive post-tertiary,” Help Lesotho Program Operations Officer Hlalefo Sengoai said.
Poverty and economic instability further compound the problem. Lesotho’s struggling economy and relatively high poverty rates create stress and uncertainty for many citizens.
Efforts to Address the Crisis
Like many developing nations, Lesotho also faces a shortage of mental health resources. The limited number of mental health professionals and facilities makes it difficult for those in need to access care. Moreover, mental health issues often carry a social stigma, discouraging people from seeking help or even acknowledging their struggles.
The nation has a single psychiatric facility available to serve its population of approximately 2 million.
In 2023, Ombudsman Advocate Tlotliso Polaki flagged a welfare crisis at Mohlomi Mental Hospital, urging action to address the irregularities.
Sengoai highlighted the lack of resources in mental health facilities, noting that individuals with varying degrees of mental illness are often housed together. “We’ve had reports of patients with different levels of impairment being placed in the same room, which is concerning. For instance, someone who is highly aggressive and poses a danger may be placed with someone experiencing severe stress. This could compromise the recovery of both patients,” she explained.
Sengoai says organizations like Help Lesotho offer psychosocial support through group sessions for various groups and provide one-on-one counseling when needed, based on the severity and type of each case.
The Path Forward
Addressing Lesotho’s mental health crisis requires a multifaceted approach. Increased funding and resources for mental health services are crucial, as are public education campaigns to reduce stigma and increase awareness.
Economic initiatives to create more job opportunities, particularly for youth, could help alleviate some of the underlying stressors.
Integrating mental health services into primary healthcare could improve access and reduce stigma.
“There are a lot of interventions that are done by the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the different approaches that we are doing, but it is still not enough because the country as it is, serving about 2 million people, that is a lot, and as CSOs, we are here to support the government. There is a lot that we are doing, but we see that there is a long way to go.” Sengoai added.
