Multiple public health emergencies and challenges continue to take a toll on mental health across Africa. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has taken a stand to support countries in conducting investment cases for mental health to provide strong evidence for prioritizing mental health in the workplace.
On October 16, the agency brought together specialists in a webinar marking World Mental Health Day, focusing on mental health in the workplace. With passionate resolve, the panelists shared their experiences and insights on creating mentally healthy workspaces. They discussed the importance of implementing supportive policies, providing employee assistance programs, and promoting work-life balance.
"Why is work so important? It gives us an income, a way to provide for our families and loved ones, but beyond that, it provides meaning in life," said Ragnhild Dybdahl, Senior Advisor at Africa CDC and Global Mental Health Coordinator at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, setting the scene.
One-sixth of the global population suffers from mental health conditions, meaning that many workers are affected. "In fact, 12 billion workdays are lost every year because of depression and anxiety alone, amounting to over one trillion US dollars," Dybdahl noted. Poor mental health impacts productivity at a societal level, with unhealthy work environments as a major contributing factor. Conversely, decent work is a right and benefits societies, she explained.
"Decent work is good for mental health, and good mental health increases productivity and quality work outcomes. Providing decent work is a duty of care that employers must uphold," she added. "In reality, however, we have a long way to go in every country."
Work may negatively affect mental health due to stress, Dybdahl pointed out. Stress may be short-term or long-term, and understanding these types is crucial to addressing risk factors. Exposure to suffering and injustice, combined with other stressors, can have long-term consequences, which the duty of care must aim to mitigate.
Protecting and promoting mental health at work involves creating a safe and enabling organizational environment and strengthening leaders' and employees' ability to recognize and address work conditions, Dybdahl said. This includes fostering a learning culture within organizations, where "we learn from our experiences and continually improve."
Factors influencing workplace well-being include individual resilience and coping mechanisms, as well as work conditions and organizational support. "We can address structural issues, though some, like the national health system, may be harder to change," Dybdahl said.
Other protective factors include finding meaning in work, knowing it contributes to something valuable, maintaining an active coping style, building strong relationships, achieving work-life balance, and leading a healthy lifestyle. "When times get tough, these basic needs become essential," she said.
Placing mental health in Africa's broader health context, Dr. Mohammed Abdulaziz, Head of the Division of Disease Control and Prevention at Africa CDC, said the agency prioritizes promoting mental health and well-being, particularly by strengthening the workforce for non-communicable diseases, injuries, and mental health and linking them in continent-wide networks of practitioners and researchers.
"Africa CDC reaffirms its commitment to strengthening health systems to address and support the prioritization of mental health in the workplace," he said, adding that the agency is investing heavily in mental health across the continent.
Guided by its current implementation strategy, Africa CDC has established multiple interventions. The new Africa CDC strategic plan includes a pillar focused directly on mental health well-being for the continent, supporting member states in preventing and controlling high-burden diseases.
"Using an integrated health system approach, Africa CDC has been supporting mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies, bridging the gap in mental health services during humanitarian crises," said Dr. Abdulaziz.
Africa CDC is currently supporting mental health as part of the Mpox response in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda.
"We have been assisting Member States in reviewing and reforming mental health policies and legislation to align with continental and global standards, modernizing outdated laws," he explained. Africa CDC also operates a Mental Health Leadership Program to build workforce capacity and improve access to quality care at public health and community levels. The program has four objectives, with the first being the Kofi Annan Fellowship, designed to train fellows at the highest level of public health.
"We are training fellows to advocate for mental health at the highest levels, engaging with presidents, finance ministers, and health ministers," said Dr. Abdulaziz. "We also have a Field Epidemiology and Training Program to equip mental health specialists with public health tools to address mental health and health system challenges, such as integrating mental health into public healthcare."
Another objective involves short courses to build mental health allies in non-health fields, such as journalists and lawmakers.
"Our flagship programs are focused on building systems for mental health, including reforming policies to align with continental and global standards," said Adelard Kakunze, Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health Unit Lead at Africa CDC.
The Kofi Annan Fellowship provides a platform for addressing mental health issues within the framework of public health leadership, said Dr. Jibril Abdul Malik, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a Kofi Annan Fellow. "We're discussing topics such as suicide prevention and workplace mental health, which are public health priorities across Africa."
"We can harmonize our efforts and integrate mental health into HIV programs, digital health platforms, and health information systems to improve the overall well-being of our people," said Malik.
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The Mental Health Leadership Program by Africa CDC is already fostering transformation. Samar Kolkas, a Primary Health Care Physician and founder of ABC Medicine in Egypt, said the leadership program gave her valuable insights on addressing mental health gaps in Egypt. "The key concept is integrating mental health services into primary care facilities and understanding how to design, advocate for, and implement these programs."
In Rwanda, statistics indicate that at least 32% of workers have attempted suicide, and 63% miss work due to mental health issues, often without their employers' knowledge, said another mental health leadership fellow, Rose Umutesi, chairperson of the National Organization of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in Rwanda. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing workplace mental health in Africa, given the unique cultural, economic, and social factors at play.
Africa CDC plans to work with the African Union's Political Affairs and Peace and Security Department to develop guidelines for integrating mental health and psychosocial support in conflict and humanitarian settings. The panelists agreed to explore opportunities for multi-sectoral coordination and collaboration to promote mental health in the workplace. "Let us join efforts in promoting positive mental health in our workplaces and be advocates and ambassadors for mental health," said Dr. Abdulaziz.
