According to medical experts, alcohol and drug abuse are among the major causes of mental health disorders. They explain that many people who engage in substance abuse often do so because of difficult life experiences that leave them emotionally wounded or traumatized.In many cases, individuals turn to alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism for the problems and hardships they face in life.
Dr Dynamo Ndacyayisenga, the Director General of Kigali Mental Health Referral Centre, says that many countries around the world still dedicate insufficient funding to healthcare, particularly mental health services. However, he notes that Rwanda is making notable progress by allocating 4.6% of its annual budget to the mental health services.
“We still face global challenges in allocating sufficient funding to mental healthcare, but Rwanda is on the right path. The country currently dedicates 4.6% of its annual budget to the mentor health services.” said Dr Dynamo.
Dr Dynamo further explains that the history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi has contributed to psychological trauma among some citizens, leading certain individuals to substance abuse, which later develops into addiction and mental health complications.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that every country allocate adequate funding to mental health services. However, mental health experts indicate that this remains a serious challenge globally, as some countries still do not allocate any specific budget for mental healthcare.
Beyond funding challenges, some families still neglect people suffering from mental health conditions. In some cases, families fail to provide health insurance such as Mutuelle de Santé for affected relatives, despite recent research showing that one in every five people in Rwanda has experienced a mental health condition at some point in life.
Research findings indicate that severe depression affects 11.9% of the population, severe anxiety 8.1%, trauma-related disorders 3.6%, severe mental illness 1.3%, socially disruptive behavioral disorders 0.8%, while suicidal behavior stands at 0.5%.
The second category includes alcohol and substance abuse disorders, which account for 1.9%, while epilepsy affects 2.9% of the population.
Statistics based on age groups show that 21% of people aged between 26 and 35 have experienced mental health problems, while the figure rises to 26.9% among those aged between 45 and 55. These individuals have experienced at least one mental health issue during their lifetime.
Regarding alcohol and drug consumption, alcohol use has increased over the past ten years from 41.3% to 48.1%. The Northern Province records the highest rate at 56%, followed by the Southern Province at 51.6%, Western Province at 46.5%, Eastern Province at 43.9%, while the City of Kigali stands at 42.0%.
By: Eloi Isengwe