Nearly one billion people worldwide suffer from some form of mental disorder, according to latest UN data – a staggering figure that is even more worrying, if you consider that it includes around one in seven teenagers. | File photo.

A clinical psychologist is calling on South Sudanese families to stop hiding loved ones suffering from mental illness and instead take them to hospitals for proper medical care, adding that mental illness is not a crime but a treatable condition.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s Dawn Show on Wednesday, Emmanuel Moju Andrea of HealthNet TPO warned against stigmatizing mental health and urged families to use the free mental health services available at public hospitals across the country.

“Don’t hide people with mental illness at home. Don’t take them to prison. Bring them to the hospital because that is where they’re supposed to be,” Moju said.

“Mental health illness is just like any other sickness. When you bring them to the hospital, they will be treated like any other disease.”

He emphasized that special psychiatric wards are available at Juba Teaching Hospital and other public facilities in Wau, Malakal, and other states.

He noted that treatment is free of charge, and families should not feel ashamed to seek help.

“Stop stigma,” he added. “Even if the hospital is small, it can still help and treat them.”

Moju’s call to action comes ahead of World Mental Health Day, observed every year on October 10, which seeks to raise awareness and increase access to mental health services globally.

In October 2024, medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), known by its French initials Médecins Sans Frontières, warned of an “overlooked” mental health crisis in South Sudan driven by years of conflict, food insecurity, and extreme poverty.

The organization reported that nearly 10,000 mental health consultations were conducted between January and July 2024, with many patients facing their struggles in silence due to widespread stigma.

MSF also found that families and caregivers are often forced into detaining or isolating mentally ill relatives at home  or even sending them to prison due to lack of access to professional care and societal pressure.

This year’s World Mental Health Day campaign emphasizes the urgent need to support the mental and psychosocial needs of people affected by humanitarian emergencies, particularly in conflict zones like South Sudan.

The day offers an opportunity for stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and health workers, to evaluate current mental health interventions and mobilize greater support toward making mental health care a reality for all.

“There is no health without mental health,” Moju concluded. “Let’s treat mental illness as we do any other health condition — with care, compassion, and urgency.”