PHC Initiative Africa

No doubt, mental health is an integral and essential component of health and should be see to be practically demonstrated as such.

Below are specific ways to promote mental health:

• Early childhood interventions (e.g. providing a stable environment that is sensitive to children’s health and nutritional needs, with protection from threats, opportunities for early learning, and interactions that are responsive, emotionally supportive and developmentally stimulating);
• Support to children (e.g. life skills programmes, child and youth development programmes);
• Socio-economic empowerment of women (e.g. improving access to education and microcredit schemes);
• Social support for elderly populations (e.g. befriending initiatives, community and day centres for the aged);
• Programmes targeted at vulnerable people, including minorities, indigenous people, migrants and people affected by conflicts and disasters (e.g. psycho-social interventions after disasters);
• Mental health promotional activities in schools (e.g. programmes involving supportive ecological changes in schools);
• Mental health interventions at work (e.g. stress prevention programmes); housing policies (e.g. housing improvement);
• Violence prevention programmes (e.g. reducing availability of alcohol and access to arms);
• Community development programmes (e.g. integrated rural development);
• Poverty reduction and social protection for the poor;
• Anti-discrimination laws and campaigns;
• Promotion of the rights, opportunities and care of individuals with mental disorders.