Dear HIFA colleagues,
The COVID19 is bringing gradually to light that health professionals and mental health professionals everywhere have experienced important mental health issues still to be fully accessed. We might also deduce that the physical health of many health professionals and mental health professionals has been affected.
However because of global health inequalities the impact of this situation on health professionals and mental health professionals in the African region might be more severe. Moreover, that health promotion and mental health promotion are not optimal. This state of affaires has a number of implications when we also know the important human resource shortages in health that Africa experiences.
This situation is posing a fundamental problem in low resource settings and LMICs where most of the time the health professional is considered like a GOD in the community. Since they are known to heal and save lives.
The social representation of health professionals in Africa puts them perhaps at high risk of not taking their health and mental health seriously. It is a taboo the health and mental health of health professionals and mental health professionals.
This Taboo should be Unveiled and open discussions enabled so as to protect the health and mental health of health professionals and mental professionals seriously threatened.
Where should we start? Recognizing the sensitive nature of the topic.
How do health professionals and mental health professionals access and apply health and mental health information to take care of their own (mental) health.
Best Wishes,
Didier Demassosso
HIFA country representative coordinator Afro Region
HIFA profile: Didier Demassosso is a mental health practitioner, Consultant (WHO , MoPH Cameroon...), Mental health advocate , Youth advocate with 10 years experience in mental health development in Cameroon. He is also a health communicator and educationist. HIFA Country Representative For Cameroon/ HIFA Country Representative of the year 2014 / Regional Coordinator for Africa. He also currently volunteers for the Mental Health Innovation Network Africa as Knowledge Exchange Assistant. http://www.hifa.org/people/country-representatives/map
http://www.hifa.org/support/members/didier
Email: didier.demassosso AT gmail.com
