Keynote address by MEC Nomonde Rasmeni during the mental health awareness event held at the provincial hospital, in Mafikeng

Today is one of the most significant days in our health calendar. It is an important day because we are all gathered here to mark the launch of the Mental Health Awareness Month and to celebrate our achievement in mental health through this day, Mental Health Awareness Day. The Mental Health Awareness Month has become such an important month since our new democratic government of national unity saw the need to correct the state of mental health in the country which was in adverse state pre 1994.

It is well documented that pre 1994 mental health services were primarily disintegrated and alienated from the broader healthcare system of the country. It therefore became imminent that one of a paradigm shift in the restructuring of the country's healthcare sector would become a need to integrate mental health services into the mainstream health sector. We can all now attest to the fact that, 12 years down the line, our government and the Department of Health in particular has made significant progress in improving the mental health services.

One of the landmarks in this instance has been the repeal of the old apartheid policies and the introduction of the Mental Healthcare Act, No. 17 of 2002 which completely changed our perceptions and approach towards mental healthcare services. We continue to change perceptions towards mental healthcare services and the users of such services by engaging on awareness campaigns like this one.

With the Mental Healthcare Act, No. 17 of 2002, our main aim has been to provide for the care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons who are mentally ill; to set out different procedures to be followed in the admission of such persons; to establish Mental Health Review Boards in respect of every health establishment; to determine their powers and functions; to provide for the care and administration of the property of mentally ill persons and to repeal certain laws which were not favourable to conducive mental healthcare services. The Mental Healthcare Act recognised first and foremost that the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996), prohibits against unfair discrimination of people with mental or any other disabilities.

In this regard, we recognised that:

* health is a state of physical, mental and social well being and that mental health services should be provided as part of primary, secondary and tertiary health services
* that the person and property of a person with mental disorders or mental disabilities, may at times require protection and that members of the public and their properties may similarly require protection from people with mental disorders or mental disabilities and
* further that there is a need to promote the provision of mental healthcare services in a manner which promotes the maximum mental well-being of users of mental healthcare services and communities in which they reside.

In complying with the Act, we are happy as the Department of Health that:

* We have trained health professionals on various new procedures and processes that were introduced by the Act. There is a need to continue with this training to ensure our employees understand and adhere to the new procedures for admission, referral, reviews, etc.
* Our province has established a Mental Health Review Board and that the board is an independent body charged in terms of the Mental Healthcare Act to oversee care, treatment and rehabilitation of those who were admitted without consent.

I am pleased that the South African Federation for Mental Health and the World Federation for Mental Health will be actively involved in awareness campaigns for Mental Health Awareness Month and that the Department will continue to interact with them for purposes of sharing ideas on how best to improve on the mental health services of our province. We must place the elimination of stigma and isolation of persons with mental disabilities at the centre of our campaigns as a way of making sure that people with mental disabilities becomes accessible to us as healthcare service providers. We all know how devastating the effects of stigma and isolation can be even to mentally able people, now you can image how adverse they are to the mentally disabled.

I guess this point bring me to the theme for this year's Mental Health Month which is, "Mental Health in a Changing World: The Impact of Culture and Diversity". The emphasis on this theme is placed on Trans-Cultural Mental Health Issues. This theme looks deep into the effects of culture on the many aspect of mental health, including how individuals from a given culture communicate and manifests their symptoms, their style of copying, their family and community supports and their willingness to seek treatment and service delivery.

We also recognise that, in mental healthcare setting, culture impacts on how people:
* label and communicate distress
* explain the causes of mental health problems
* perceive mental health providers
* utilise and respond to mental health treatment

In short, this theme recognises that people are probably more tied to their cultural and ethnic beliefs when ill than when feeling well. This must then tell us that, South Africa being a multi cultured country is bound to face challenges which include the question of how can we give the best mental healthcare possible if we don't take into consideration the differences of those we are trying to help and indeed the question of how do we overcome the barriers of language and cultural differences, views of mental illness, gender issues, and different training and teaching methods.

Programme Director, I believe this year's theme is an eye opener for all of us in as far as ensuring that we become broad minded about mental health issues. It will certainly elicit debate to all mental health stakeholders who are eager to improve the provision of mental healthcare services in our country.

It thus become necessary for all mental health stakeholders including mental health societies, Non-governmental Organisations, women's groups, religious leaders or tribal elders to work together for a common understanding of how we all want to take mental healthcare forward. A great deal of dialogue and awareness-raising may be needed to persuade others to accept new ways of thinking, especially ones that challenge beliefs closely tied to individual and social identity.

As the department, we will constantly research new ways to improve mental healthcare services in our country. We will also continue to invest in science and knowledge of this area of specialisation with a view to rob in the best personnel to continually improve on the state of mental healthcare in our province. I am pleased that we also continue to invest significantly in terms of budget and infrastructure. In terms of infrastructure, the particular aspect of security in our facilities will continue to be upgraded so that they become mental health friendly while accommodating all our clients.

At community level, we also need to prepare men and women with mental illnesses to work and lead a healthy lifestyle just like the rest of us. This is a challenge we are yet to over come as government and as various communities. I am however confident that the mental support groups, NGOs and societies that we have will go a long way into assisting the process. The same goes to the South African Federation for Mental Health, the World Federation for Mental Health and the broader health stakeholders who hold dearly the health and well being of our people at heart. I urge all us here today to sustain our campaign throughout the Mental Health Month and beyond so that we can begin to position Mental Health in a changing world were trans-cultural issues relating to mental health need to be clarified.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Health, North West Provincial Government
10 October 2007