Ouagadougou: The Planet of Pan-African Youth organized a panel in Manga on Friday, during which participants advocated for better mental health support for education professionals, Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and other public servants facing the effects of the security context.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the panel, held under the theme "Mental health of education actors, defense and security forces and public servants in a context of insecurity: challenges and resilience strategies", brought together authorities, institutional leaders, community actors and the general public.

In her opening address, Comrade Governor of the Nazinon region, Massadalo Yvette Nacoulma, stressed the current and priority nature of the mental health issue: "Every citizen needs to be informed and made aware," she said, linking the issue of individual mental health to the collective capacity to build a stable and resilient nation. She urged the actors to preserve their psychological balance in order to strengthen their resilience and effectiveness in carrying out their missions.

Following this, the panelists first clarified the fundamental distinction between "mental health" (state of psychological well-being, ability to cope with the normal stress of life) and "mental illness" (diagnosed disorders affecting behavior, mood, and cognitive functions). This reminder was intended to reduce stigmatization and refocus the debate on prevention, detection and appropriate care.

Professor Karfo Kapoun©, a psychiatrist, presented the alarming data: 'A study conducted in 2021 in the Nazinon region revealed that 22.64% of people had already shown signs of poor mental health, placing the region at the top of the measured prevalence rates.' He identified several explanatory factors: 'the deteriorating security climate, the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19, unemployment, precarious living conditions, etc.'

The panelists emphasized that the personal, family, and institutional consequences of mental health failure can reduce productivity, lead to self-destructive behaviors, result in psychosomatic disorders, and damage socio-professional relationships. For the psychosocial support trainer, Commander Oumarou Konatstated that studies and operational observations around the world show that after theaters of operation, there are very often more deaths by suicide than deaths in combat, a sign of silent suffering that is poorly managed.

Naaba Ligdi, the Living Human Treasure, for his part, advocated for greater recognition of endogenous crisis management mechanisms. He recommended involving traditional and religious authorities more closely in awareness-raising and mediation efforts, promoting joking relationships as a factor in social cohesion, documenting local best practices, and integrating relevant cultural approaches into psychosocial support interventions.