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Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection is organizing the second national campaign to fight the stigmatization of people suffering from mental health disorders from October 17 to 27, under the theme “Mental disorders do not exclude dignity and fundamental rights.”
The campaign aims to promote the rights of people suffering from mental health, demystify mental illness, and to deconstruct the prejudices associated with it.
It also seeks to raise awareness among their families, healthcare professionals, as well as the general public, on the importance of providing support during the healing process, stated the ministry in a press release.
Mental illness is considered a major public health issue, highlighted the press release.
The World Health Organization estimates that 76% to 85% of people suffering from severe mental disorders or with disabilities connected to mental health do not receive any treatment in low and middle-income countries.
The lack of treatment increases this group’s chance of being exposed to physical violence by 11 to 13 times.
The Network called on the Health Ministry to take concrete measures to guarantee people’s psychological well-being and invited the ministry to invest more in human capital, infrastructure, and medicine.
Awareness is also crucial, as research uncovered the negative impact of social attitudes toward people suffering from mental disorders that are placed in precarious conditions. People that suffer from mental health issues feel rejected and marginalized by society as they are categorized as violent, helpless, powerless, incapable, and unmotivated.
The stigma has a greater effect when it comes from their loved ones, as the emotional support of their family is an essential pillar to facilitating recovery.
The ministry’s press release added that these judgments are a real obstacle to their social integration, and affect their daily life, their family, and social relationships.
Raising awareness and reducing the stigma could improve the chances of an early diagnosis and reduce factors that jeopardize people’s mental well-being, explained the Ministry.
Morocco’s Network for the Defense of the Right to Health and the Right to Life indicated that 26% of Moroccans aged 15 and above have suffered from depression at some point in their life.
It has also been estimated that 9% have experienced anxiety disorders, whereas 5.6% experienced mental disorders, and 1% experienced schizophrenia, at some point in their life.
