The Department of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health in Sudan’s East Darfur State on Sunday celebrated World Mental Health Day at El Daein Cultural Club.
World Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10 every year. The overall objective of the Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues worldwide and to mobilize efforts to support mental health.
The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to discuss their work and what more must be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
Many citizens, community leaders, and health professionals attended the celebration in El Daein town.
Mohammed Bakhit Ahmed, Director of the Department of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health, told Radio Tamazuj that the celebration of World Mental Health Day falls on October 10 every year, and due to the war situation, the celebration was held five days later under the auspices of CARE International.
Bakhit thanked all the bodies and groups that contributed and responded to the invitation to celebrate, including the Chamber of Commerce, the native administration, and the State Narcotics Control Unit.
“We thank all the people who came and participated in the celebration, and we thank the media for covering this event,” he said.
Meanwhile, Munira Hussein Ahmed, Director of the Mental Health Department in South Darfur State, said that mental health complements physical and social health.
She added, “Today we celebrate in difficult circumstances that all Sudanese are experiencing due to the war, which may cause psychological disturbance when witnessing a tough situation.”
Munira announced their plan to hold psychosocial support workshops for displaced people and refugees in the coming days. She stated that she suffered from the scourge of war and fled to East Darfur State after the conflict.
For his part, the Director of CARE International in East Darfur State, Misbah Ibrahim Muhammad, said that the organization’s participation and contribution in celebrating World Mental Health Day comes from its belief in the positive impact of mental health.
“We believe that this Day is significant, especially during the difficult situation facing the people of Sudan. We thank all those who participated in the celebration and the role of the media in highlighting the importance of this Day,” he said
Dr. Abdul Rahman Jaboura, one of the celebration’s attendees, called on all sections of society to meet with a psychologist periodically.
“Meeting a psychologist does not mean that the person suffers from a mental illness, but that as a result of the traumas that any person is exposed to in the course of his life, he or she requires a session with a psychologist to overcome them,” he said.