Psychiatrist calls for prioritisation of mental health infrastructure

By: Selma Taapopi

A senior psychiatrist at the Windhoek Mental Health Centre, Dr Hileni Ndjaba, has stressed the urgent need to strengthen Namibia’s mental health infrastructure.

She identified the shortage of facilities as a major barrier to accessing psychiatric care, calling for mental health services and infrastructure to be treated as a national priority in the fight against suicide.

Dr Ndjaba pointed out the lack of social and family support as a critical issue affecting patients.

She noted that some individuals receiving treatment at the facility have been abandoned by their families, who are unwilling to care for them after diagnosis or discharge