Prioritising mental health
Mental illness is rarely spoken about in Namibia, hence the need to have special days to initiate conversations on the issue.
The sixth annual Mental Health Sports Day was commemorated at Windhoek Central Hospital on Friday, with various sporting activities taking place.
Close to 100 people from the Windhoek Central Prison, Central Hospital, Gobabis Prison, Ministry of Health and general public attended the event.
Participants competed in football, volleyball, netball, track events and fun games, with the winners receiving medals at the end of the day.
The event, which was officially opened by Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela, commissioner-general of the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS), was held under the theme 'No health without mental health'.
Delivering his keynote address, Hamunyela said the NCS continues to work with the ministry of health and towards the provision of quality health care services for offenders in its care.
He said the partnership between their institutions has grown stronger since 2014.
“This agreement is aimed at ensuring better access to specialised staff, including psychiatrists, who are very limited in Namibia,” he said.
Hamunyela said currently there are 155 State President's Decision patients throughout Namibia with various forms of mental health conditions.
There are also 66 patients at the Forensic Psychiatric Unit of the Windhoek Central Hospital's Mental Health Care Centre, where the NCS provides safe custody through correctional officers.
“Mental illness is stigmatised and rarely spoken about in Namibia, hence the need to have days like today to empower people and open up conversations on the issue,” added Hamunyela.
NAMPA
Close to 100 people from the Windhoek Central Prison, Central Hospital, Gobabis Prison, Ministry of Health and general public attended the event.
Participants competed in football, volleyball, netball, track events and fun games, with the winners receiving medals at the end of the day.
The event, which was officially opened by Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela, commissioner-general of the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS), was held under the theme 'No health without mental health'.
Delivering his keynote address, Hamunyela said the NCS continues to work with the ministry of health and towards the provision of quality health care services for offenders in its care.
He said the partnership between their institutions has grown stronger since 2014.
“This agreement is aimed at ensuring better access to specialised staff, including psychiatrists, who are very limited in Namibia,” he said.
Hamunyela said currently there are 155 State President's Decision patients throughout Namibia with various forms of mental health conditions.
There are also 66 patients at the Forensic Psychiatric Unit of the Windhoek Central Hospital's Mental Health Care Centre, where the NCS provides safe custody through correctional officers.
“Mental illness is stigmatised and rarely spoken about in Namibia, hence the need to have days like today to empower people and open up conversations on the issue,” added Hamunyela.
NAMPA
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