Hope amid the Hopeless

IDP camp near clinic

This month I have been able to visit the west of Afghanistan and visit our workers there.  I was excited to see the work of the Mental Health Training Centre.  This is one of only a handful of places across Afghanistan where Doctors, nurses and counsellors are trained in treating patients with mental health problems.  The definition of mental health is wider than those of us from the West are used to, and includes any neurological disorder.  This means those with epilepsy are being treated at the centre.

Women shopping

It was good to meet those involved in the project, both Afghan and ex-pat who are passionate about good mental health and giving hope to those who are hopeless.  I spent several hours hearing stories about people who had travelled miles to be seen by the doctor, some even from neighbouring countries. There is a six-week waiting list to be seen by the psychiatrists.  People still come because they see that these are conditions that can be treated; epilepsy, depression, psychosis etc. This is a change from believing someone is cursed or possessed because of their mental health issues.

One part of the project is based around community awareness, with a group of trainers going into schools to give classes, teaching the police about how to deal with mentally ill people and television programmes which are broadcast in the local area.  The cumulative effect of all this awareness raising is the lowering of stigma and the knowledge that there is hope where previously situations seemed hopeless.