The Mental Health Crisis in Tanzania

In Tanzania, mental health remains significantly underfunded with a mere 4% of the annual budget being spent on mental health care (WHO, 2020) despite mental health disorders contributing to 5.3% of the country's disease burden.

Lack of funding sees Tanzania with limited mental health hospitals, psychiatric units and community facilities to treat those suffering from poor mental health and lacks government policies for child, adolescence, occupational mental health and suicide prevention.

ARUSHA, with greater numbers of lower income families and increased environmental stressors due to increasing urbanisation, finds locals experiencing heightened levels of:

So, how can YOU help those struggling from the mental health crisis in Arusha?

At Siha Angavu Mental Health Care and Rehabilitation, Dr Pascal (Clinical Psychiatrist) and Dr. Malick (Psychologist and Psychotherapist) work tirelessly to ensure locals understand the importance of mental health and help facilitate individual treatments that people so desperately need. Since 2022, Siha Angavu Mental Health Care and Rehabilitation , has supported over 400 people battling with depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, psychosis, anxiety, domestic abuse, and more, providing support such as:

1. Psychotherapeutic sessions

2. Pharmacological treatments including free medications to those from lower income households.

3. Radio sessions at local radio stations in Arusha where, importantly, 33% of locals have been found to get their information from radio with majority of listeners being from lower income households (Arusha Mental Health Trust, 2013).

4. Mental Health Awareness talks at local public and private schools,

hospitals, workplaces, universities, churches and local community meetings.

5. Local house visits and individual- and peer-support groups facilitated at multiple sober houses around Arusha.

But how will your donation help ensure this support and treatment continues?

1. From a donation of £20, you can support someone with schizophrenia with a four week prescription of life-changing anti-psychotics, providing them with relief from severe symptoms during extended treatment.

2. From a donation of £30, for one month you can ensure mental health awareness is provided to locals through radio sessions and TV sessions, preventing increased severity in neuropsychiatric disorders and a reduction in mental health stigma.

3. From a donation of £50, for one month you can help facilitate 20 house visits to provide accessible support and treatment for those unable to access the clinic due to financial, mobility or situational challenges.

Your donation matters!

No one deserves to live a life where they are not listened to and valued as human being. No one deserves a lack of treatment and support based on where they live or who they are. No one deserves to face stigma for how they feel and how they experience the world.

"Siha Angavu" stands for "The Bright Mind" and at Siha Angavu Mental Health Care and Rehabilitation, the mission is to ensure that every adult, every child, every human being, has the opportunity for treatment and support in Arusha. With your kindness, you can be part of a larger impact to support those in Arusha towards a brighter and better future for mental health that means no one feels alone and everyone has the opportunity to receive support.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.youtube.com/@SihaAngavu/videos

https://www.facebook.com/UTULIVUWAAKILI