South Africa has the fourth-highest suicide rate in Africa, highlighting the growing burden of mental health challenges in the country, according to the latest statistics from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Health Observatory.
South Africa was among 21 countries in the WHO African region that submitted data on the prevalence of mental health conditions with a particular focus on suicide rates.
The data showed South Africa had a suicide rate of 21.1 deaths per 100,000 people.
The five African countries with the highest rates were:
- Lesotho (36.7 per 100,000 population),
- Eswatini (31.0),
- Zimbabwe (25.4),
- South Africa (21.1).
- Eritrea (20.2).
The figures come amid mounting concerns about the social and economic impact of mental health conditions in South Africa.
According to October Health’s State of Mind report, unaddressed mental health conditions cost South Africa’s economy more than R250bn annually and the equivalent of about 4.5% of the country’s GDP.
The WHO estimates depression and anxiety result in the loss of 12-billion workdays globally every year, costing the world economy about $1-trillion.
In South Africa this translates into an estimated 452-million lost work hours annually.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) estimates that presenteeism, where employees are physically present at work but struggle to perform effectively because of mental health challenges, accounts for more than R200bn in lost productivity each year.
A recent workshop heard that an estimated 253 people attempt suicide every day in South Africa, while globally one in three people will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lives.
Speaking during the three-day Regional Mental Health Intercountry Workshop held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park from May 27 to 29, director of mental health and substance abuse at the national department of health Dr Dudu Shiba said a combination of mental health and socioeconomic factors were contributing to South Africa’s high suicide rate.
“The data indicates that as a country, we need to intensify efforts to address the risk factors associated with suicide including mental health conditions and broader socioeconomic challenges. The contributing factors include a complex combination of mental distress, untreated mental health disorders and severe socioeconomic conditions. Exposure to trauma and violence has also been identified as a contributing factor,” she said.
Shiba said the department of health was implementing several measures to strengthen prevention, early identification and treatment of mental health conditions under the National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2023–2030.
These interventions include increasing the number of mental health professionals at primary healthcare level through the Mental Health Conditional Grant allocated by the National Treasury.
She said the department was also working to better integrate mental health services into primary healthcare facilities and general hospitals by training nurses to identify and treat mental health conditions using approved clinical guidelines.
In addition, the department collaborates with key stakeholders including the department of basic education, department of social development, South African Police Service, Sadag and the South African Federation for Mental Health.
Shiba said an indicator tracking suicide attempts presenting at health facilities had also been incorporated into the National Health Information System to strengthen surveillance and guide targeted interventions.
“The department is implementing a range of interventions to strengthen the prevention, early identification and treatment of mental health conditions guided by relevant policies and the National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan 2023–2030,” she said.
Mental health experts have repeatedly called for greater investment in mental healthcare services, warning that untreated mental health conditions not only affect individual wellbeing, but also have significant consequences for families, communities and the economy.
TimesLIVE
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