Rise in mental health disorders worries Somaliland officials

[Jacaylbaro]

Health officials in Somalia’s self-declared independent region of Somaliland have expressed concern over a rise in mental illness, which they attribute to post-war trauma, joblessness, drug abuse and khat use.

 

“Mental health problems have increased in Somaliland because of several reasons; that is why in October 2008, the Ministry of Health and Labour established a new department to deal with mental disorder coordination,” Mustafe Hussein Hirsi, the mental health coordinator in the ministry, said.

 

He said public and private hospitals across the region had recorded an increase in mental disorders, “for example, here in the Hargeisa Group Hospital, we had 140 patients in 2008 and now we have 180 patients”.

 

Hirsi said Somaliland public mental hospitals lacked adequate facilities to handle the caseload.

 

“Berbera Hospital was built in the late 1920s as a jail; the patients were held in small rooms without air-conditioning or a fan yet it is in a coastal climate area,” Hirsi said.

 

Mental hospitals also receive limited support from donors, he said.

 

“[The] World Health Organization [WHO] gives us the drugs but we do not get any other support except personal donations by members of the public; for example, today, Abdillahi Mohamed Dahir, chairman of the Union of Somaliland Journalists, gave us some money raised by Somaliland’s diaspora in Bristol in the UK,” Hirsi said.

 

He said aid agencies had displayed little interest in supporting efforts aimed at alleviating mental disorders.

 

“Aid organizations, both international and local, often work on HIV/AIDS and female genital mutilation but it is rare to see organizations who are interested in helping this community of the mentally challenged, who are suffering everywhere in the country,” Hirsi said.

 

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is marked every 3 December. This year’s theme was “making the [uN's] Millennium Development Goals disability-inclusive”.

 

WHO said it was holding a three-month training programme in Hargeisa for health workers dealing with mental health issues.

 

“Health workers from Somaliland, Puntland and south-central Somalia are attending that training,” said Mohamed Mahamud Ali, WHO medical officer.

 

Officials of the mental health department of Hargeisa Group Hospital said the workshops undertook practicals in the hospital, under the guidance of a visiting WHO psychiatrist.

 

Omar Elmi Dihod, one of the few psychiatrists in Somaliland, said the increase in mental disorders was higher in males than females because of post-war trauma, khat consumption and stress.

 

“I worked for Hargeisa Group Hospital’s mental sickness department between 1991 and 1998, where I met a number of teenagers who had different kinds of mental sicknesses,” Dihod said. “But when I researched their backgrounds, I found out that when they were in refugee camps in eastern Ethiopia they used to chew khat a lot to prevent insect bites, and for this reason, they got mental sickness.”

 

Some of the mental patients have been in hospital for so many years that they have lost touch with their relatives, citing the case of Fadumo. “This woman, named only Fadumo, no one knows who brought her to hospital or where she is from but we know that she was admitted in 1970s, she has yet to recover,” Hirsi said.

[Jacaylbaro]

A mentally handicapped man lies on the ground in Hargeisa: Health officials have expressed concern over the rise in mental health challenges in the region

[Abtigiis]

Rise in delusional disorders of Somalilanders in SOL worries the rest of SOLers, it should also be noted.

 

This after series of stories about Gorilla and IGAD visists ignited hopes of recognition.

[Ibtisam]

^^This is a serious issue even within the Somali community in the west (well certainly in the UK) must everything go back to politics with you. :rolleyes:

 

I don't know if there is a rise in mental patients or we are more aware of them because of people are now diagnosed and possible treated.

 

The jinn and waxab laga haadley or ku jirey terrified me when I was back home. Literally there were so many- either people are lying because they want money or attention, or the jinn and shidan have declared a war in that region- maybe they want their own independent state.

 

Mind you, I blame it on the wadaads- they electrocute people and then the person shakes and goes into spasm they say see he is possessed. I was like WTH let me electrocute you and you would be possessed too!!

[Jacpher]

^You mean they deliver electric shock to people seeking help? How?

 

Mental illness knows no boundary. It is a serious problem for every village across the country especially areas where khat abuse is prevalence.

[Som@li]

Khaat should be banned, drug abusers eventually will suffer from mental disorders.

[Malika]

^I agree there has been a huge increase of mental illness even in the west within the community..As for back home,people are faced with various factors that can contribute to the deterioration of ones mental state.Lack of employment,uncertainty,poverty,substance abuse and of course the impact/aftermath of civil war and the continuous state of affairs in Somalia is bound to be a contributor..unfortunately lack of understanding of this illness is causing most to believe its the work of the unseen[jinns].

 

Rehabilitation centers are a must,khat should be banned altogether..I think this should be a priority,for any authority in Somalia.

 

There is so much needs back home,and all we have been reduced to is politics..Sad.

[Ibtisam]

Jacphar (I like the Somali meet english spelling btw)

 

Yeah the use some sort of electronic conductors/ wires attached to the persons frontal lope and side of the head- then they turn it on and the person is electrocuted, shakes violently and passes out. Then they say jiin ba ku jirah and attach saline (Normal water Quran lagu akhirey). It is ridiculous, there has been cases where people died of water poisoning, or something similar.

 

I don't know where they got this new deen and method from. Miya lo waxyoodey because it sure aint sunnah :eek:

[Jacpher]

^That's incredibly barbaric. The individual sustains and goes through more pain that initial experience. What's the point of seeking help then? Seems like you're describing treatment book of alshabaab.

[N.O.R.F]

Vote Tory if you want qaad banned in UK.

[Resistance]

Originally posted by Jacphar:

^That's incredibly barbaric. The individual sustains and goes through more pain that initial experience. What's the point of seeking help then? Seems like you're describing treatment book of alshabaab.

^ More like from the Sufis book of Jinni Ka bixis.

 

P.S Why are people always quick to blame qaat for such problem. And also why are calling for qat to be banned in UK, we need to debate the pros and cons of making it illegal.

[Malika]

Norf,

Who to vote if you want Khat banned in SL?

 

Resistance,you just need to observe the effect of Khat on a person to come to the conclusion it is a problem and one that leads to mental disorders..You see a normal working being,once they start chewing paranoia iyo waxyoo kale baa kuu dacaa.

[MAXIMUS POWERS]

Indeed a worrying development in the motherland. Noble Somalilanders should consider what they can contribute to the development of Somaliland. There are many groups helping those who have been struck by mental Illness. Togdheer Abroad Foundation (TAF) is a youth-led initiative restoring hope to many Somalilanders.

 

TAF Website

[ElPunto]

I wonder what the mental and financial state of folks is where Shabaab has banned khat. That would be interesting to get first hand reporting about.

[Yaabka-Yaabkiis]

fighting against that helps alot in Somaliland.