Journalists Must Fight Stigma

This issue - mental health - is a particularly important one. Communities in The Gambia are faced with numerous, mental, neurological, and psychosocial disorders that undermine development.Based on prevalence rates from the World Mental Health Survey, 2004 it is estimated that approximately 27,000 people in The Gambia (or 3% of the population aged 15 years and more) is suffering from a severe mental disorderand a further 91,000 (or 10% of thepopulation aged 15 years and more) are suffering from moderate to mild mental disorder. This means that at least 118,000 people in The Gambia (or 13% of the adult population) are likely to be affected by mental disorders which require varying degrees of treatment and care.

It is essential that journalists continue to educate the public so as to fight stigma and discrimination and bring these people who do suffer from mental illness in from the margins of our society. We wish all those colleagues involved in this training well and urge them to do the best they can to help those who are vulnerable in our society. To the general public we ask for tolerance and understanding for those who suffer these terrible afflictions.