Diplomatic Relations Between Germany and the Philippines, Mali and Ukraine

Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, has made significant progress in transforming its mental health services over the past six years. Abdul Jalloh, the leading psychiatrist, has played a crucial role in this transformation. The country has eradicated the practice of shackling patients to their beds, and the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital now employs a total of 135 staff, including trained psychiatrists, doctors, specialist nurses, addiction specialists, clinical psychologists, and occupational therapists. This transformation was supported by the US nonprofit Partners In Health, which invested millions of dollars to renovate the hospital and provide training, equipment, and services.

On the other hand, Lesotho, also in Africa, unfortunately, has the highest suicide rate globally. According to the World Health Organization, the suicide rate in Lesotho is 87.5 per 100,000 people, more than double the rate in second-place Guyana, where it’s just over 40 per 100,000 and ten times the global average of nine suicides per 100,000. The tragic circumstances in Lesotho contributing to this high rate include rape, unemployment, grief due to death, drug and alcohol abuse, and a lack of support. Shockingly, 86% of women in Lesotho have experienced gender-based violence, and two in five young people are neither employed nor educated, according to the World Bank. To address these alarming statistics, NGOs like HelpLesotho are actively involved in educating young people about mental health hygiene to bring about positive change.