Fatou Bojang
To promote mental health advocacy, the National Mental Health Program, in partnership with the International Voluntary Mental Health Organization (IVMHO) and various other NGOs, organized a day-long workshop to tackle the urgent mental health challenges in The Gambia.
The workshop, “Strengthening NGOs and CSOs in Mental Health Advocacy,” took place on April 16 at the Malaria Control Program office in Kanifing. This initiative brought together 15 NGOs, all focused on bolstering advocacy efforts in a country where mental health is heavily stigmatized, and suicide rates are on the rise.
Mam Jarra Marega, Program Manager of the National Mental Health Program, highlighted the essential nature of mental health as a human right and its significant impact on education, employment, and overall national development. She praised recent advancements, particularly the validation of the Gambia Mental Health Policy for 2025–2035, while also recognizing the ongoing stigma that deters many individuals from seeking help.
Currently, The Gambia adheres to the Lunatic Detention Act, a colonial-era law initially enacted in 1917 and amended in 1964, shortly before the country gained independence.
Despite a landmark ruling in 2003 by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), which determined that The Gambia’s mental health system— including the use of this Act—violated several articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the legislation is still in effect today.
Bakary Camara, a representative of Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital, emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral approach to mental health. He urged stakeholders to collaborate in shifting public perceptions and improving awareness regarding the differences between mental health and mental illness. He underscored that changing societal attitudes towards mental health is crucial not only for those affected but also for their families.
Samba Baldeh, National Coordinator for the Schools and Mental Health Program at IVMHO, expressed gratitude for the Ministry of Health’s ongoing efforts. He provided insights into IVMHO’s current projects, including the School Mental Health Awareness Program and grassroots outreach initiatives to reduce mental health stigma.
Amadou D. Jallow, a Senior Mental Health Nurse at Kanifing General Hospital, voiced concern over the significant shortage of trained professionals in the mental health sector and stressed the urgent need for community-level support systems to prevent avoidable mental health crises.
In a related incident, What’s on The Gambia reported that an older woman attempted to jump from the Sankulay Kunda Bridge yesterday. Local diver Musa Foon rescued her after she entered the water. Following the rescue, Musa explained that she was distressed over the recent death of her son, and she is currently in police custody in Janjangbureh.
As The Gambia faces the dual challenges of outdated legislation and systemic underinvestment in mental health, the workshop served as a unified advocacy and reform platform.
