mental illness rampant in somalia
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Mental illness 'rampant' in Somalia

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

mental illness rampant in somalia

Mohammed Adow

With all the violence and chaos in Somalia, anyone could go crazy. The near daily fighting has taken its toll on the mental health of its people. The evidence of this can be found almost everywhere, as most of Somalia’s mentally ill are either simply chained to beds or left to roam the streets, leaving them with permanent trauma and physical injuries. Somalia has one of the world’s highest rates of mental-health disorders. An estimated one-third of its eight million people are affected by some kind of mental illness, yet there are only three trained psychiatrists in the entire country to care for them, according to the World Health Organisation.  “Degrading and dangerous cultural practices such as being restrained with chains are not only widespread but also socially and medically accepted,” the WHO said in a recent study of Somalia’s mental health care. Tireless advocate One man is devoting his time and energy to fight these cultural practices and thereby giving hope to Somalia’s mentally ill. Dr Abdirahman Ali Habeeb, is a psychiatric nurse by training, but prefers the title doctor. He does almost everything a doctor would do and more. A tireless and passionate advocate for the mentally ill, Dr Habeeb opened his first mental-health clinic in Mogadishu in 2005. He now operates a network of eight clinics and rehabilitation centres countrywide, with limited help from the WHO and other international donors. Five of his clinics are in Mogadishu. He also goes into remote parts of the country to save mentally ill patients - some of who have remained in chains for decades. “The bombardments, shootings and mortar shellings is what is causing the increasing number of mentally ill in Mogadishu," he says.  And the the steady stream of patients is overwhelming for Dr Habeeb and his team of volunteer nurses. At just one of his five clinics in the capital, he treats up to 70 people. Habeeb says he has helped thousands recover from mental illness. Mental health risks Dr Habeeb believes Somalia’s mental health problem is bigger than what is estimated by the World Health Organisation. “I believe there is no one with good mental health in Mogadishu or in the entire South and Central Somalia because of what is going on. Normal people will not kill and maim their own, and for such a long time.” Dr Habeeb and his team lament that their effort to help the mentally ill is being undermined by the spiralling conflict in Somalia. Lasting mental health for all, they say, lies in peace returning to this country – devastated by years of conflict.

GMT 13:57 2017 Tuesday ,31 January

Trump calls to Arab leaders a positive sign

GMT 12:21 2017 Wednesday ,11 January

Foreign policy punditry unfair to Trump

GMT 15:53 2016 Wednesday ,21 December

The Persian ‘domino effect’

GMT 06:48 2013 Tuesday ,24 September

Why this UNGA matters for Lebanon (and all of us)

GMT 18:26 2013 Wednesday ,21 August

On Egypt’s class-struggle: Rabias of the world unite

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

mental illness rampant in somalia mental illness rampant in somalia

 



Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

GMT 11:03 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

No end to eyesores at Taj Mahal

GMT 10:18 2018 Thursday ,30 August

Iran incapable of closing Hormuz, Bab Al Mandeb

GMT 10:31 2014 Tuesday ,23 December

Mirages of failure: Lebanon cannot wait

GMT 04:53 2016 Monday ,16 May

English Premier League results

GMT 05:06 2024 Tuesday ,06 February

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 06:15 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Volkswagen clinches record sales

GMT 13:13 2016 Wednesday ,14 December

Unarmed old man killed by police in California

GMT 15:00 2017 Wednesday ,08 March

1 killed, 2 missing due to Avalanche in French Alps

GMT 12:07 2017 Saturday ,25 February

Renault’s R.S.17 features Infiniti co-built ERS

GMT 12:52 2017 Saturday ,04 November

Belgium 'to study' Spain's EU warrant for Catalan leader

GMT 08:40 2017 Wednesday ,01 November

Miss Morocco launch her first charity program

GMT 16:26 2016 Friday ,04 November

All Black brothers in arms ready for rare double

GMT 08:21 2017 Saturday ,30 September

Al Sayed underlines economic improvement

GMT 10:27 2017 Wednesday ,13 December

Strikes kill 12 in rebel-run Yemen prison camp

GMT 10:52 2017 Saturday ,14 October

NGOs slam UN aviation agency plan
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice