The notion of mental health is still struggling to find its place in communities in Burundi. Mental health has long been relegated to the realm of taboo and superstition. The tendency is to consider mental illnesses, that are unknown to the population, as supernatural sufferings that can only be cured by spiritual interventions or by resorting to traditional medicines and rituals. People living with mental health issues are stigmatised and often held responsible for their illness. For these reasons, people are marginalised, ignored and become invisible to a society that fears them.

Within the Twiteho Amagara programme, we support the national strategy of the Minister of Health to integrate mental health and psychosocial support services within existing local health facilities. Through training we build the capacity of healthcare providers to recognise the signs of mental health issues, refer for specialist care and treat through psychosocial support. The training also includes actions for prevention including self-care, rehabilitation and social reintegration to help people connect once more with their communities. More than 2,500 doctors, nurses and community health workers are now better equipped to support patients with their mental health.

Dr. Kwizera Richard, a general practitioner working at the hospital in Kayanza, told us about his professional experience before and after his training.

"Before when I saw a patient with mental health issues, I wasn’t prepared, I didn’t know what to do!

But now I am proud. Thanks to HealthNet TPO who delivered a three-week training, I have since referred three patients and I have supported four people myself.

I am better equipped now and I know how to react to a given situation.

The training on mental health has allowed me to be enlightened on the particularity of these kind of illnesses and the delicacy it needs to treat them."