Mental health and social support during disease outbreaks can be challenging, as governments are often unprepared to address such crises.

In response, Namibia's capital city Windhoek is hosting representatives from 10 of the 16 SADC countries to train mental health and emergency professionals following the Mpox outbreak on the continent. The workshop is being led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control.

COVID-19 was devastating, and it claimed many lives. Many were left with emotional scars, some even not having a chance to bury their loved ones.

The pandemic also raised global awareness of mental health and the need for more accessible, effective solutions. 

And though global political support for mental health has grown over the past decade and is now being included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, all 194 World Health Organisation Member States have signed the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030.

Yet progress remains slow, and more action is needed to create meaningful change, is the message by Dr. Adelard Kakunze.

Dr. Kakunze leads the Non-communicable Diseases, Injuries, and Mental Health Unit, Disease Control and Prevention Division at the Africa CDC, which is headquartered in Ethiopia.

"Mental health has been overlooked for many years, but we all know that without mental health there is no health. So, you know the definition of health, which is physical and mental; it needs to be both, not only physical, but for many years mental health has been overlooked. With COVID, we have seen the importance of mental health; we have seen how the outbreak caused a toll on mental health; the lockdowns; the distribution; that is why the CDC developed a policy framework."

One of the focus areas for the workshop is to integrate mental health strategies into the outbreak response framework, with participation from emergency departments across the region.

The participants are also expected to assess the progress in developing national plans for mental health and social support.

Dr. Kakunze is of the view that more needs to be done regarding mental health and to prepare governments for any eventuality.

"The uncertainty, lockdowns, and disruption caused by outbreaks have taken a toll on mental health," he said.

He pointed out community support provided during outbreak responses as a critical intervention, saying that the initiative aims to align company policies with international and continental standards, creating a supportive environment for workers and communities affected by public health emerge