The Dissemination event of the Being Mental Health Initiative, held at the Protea Hotel in Dar es Salaam on 2nd May 2024, was a significant gathering aimed at sharing insights gained from a year-long effort focused on youth mental health. Attended by stakeholders from various sectors, including government, NGOs, youth organizations, and research institutions, the event demonstrated a collective commitment to advancing youth mental health initiatives. Dr. Mary Mwanyika Sando, CEO at Africa Academy for Public Health (AAPH) and project lead in Tanzania and Ghana, kicked off the event with warm welcomes and acknowledgments of participating institutions. Dr. Paul Sarea, Executive Director of Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital officiated the dissemination while stressing on the importance of strengthening Tanzania's youth mental health services and support systems in facilities and more so within the community structures.
AAPH presenters, Dr. Innocent Yusufu and Dr. Fileuka Ngakongwa stated that through desk reviews, stakeholders’ consultations, and building consensus, AAPH concluded this exploration having derived that troubling rates of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and substance use plague youth in Tanzanian. The prioritized youth mental health drivers were presented i.e., stigma, difficult living conditions, and substance use. It was also reported that the existing empirical evidence gaps for other emerging youth mental health drivers, such as self-esteem, peer pressure, poor parenting, and climate change, warrant further research. These findings also highlighted the urgent need for better intervention designs, policy improvement and/or changes, and multisectoral stakeholders involvement to tackle the root causes of poor mental health among youth in Tanzania.
The dissemination featured a stimulating panel discussion in which sited were a youth-led organization founder and leader; a seasoned mental health counsellor; and a renowned leading Professor of Psychiatry. The discussion brought forth the vital roles and need for capacity building among parents, teachers, and community health workers in promoting mental health among young people. Representatives from government bodies, universities, NGOs, and youth-led organizations emphasized the imperative for early intervention and prevention strategies to address mental health issues among young people.
Youth who have experienced depression and suicidality told their stories at the dissemination. These real-life testimonials gave a palpable comprehension of the mental health challenges young people face and stressed the need for raising awareness, strengthening support, and taking deliberate targeted actions.
The event concluded with a call to work together, conduct more research, advocate for change, and engage with communities to improve youth mental health in Tanzania.
This dissemination of the Being Initiative on Young Peoples’ Mental Health as implemented by Africa Academy for Public Health in Tanzania received overwhelming media attention. The interviews and presentation quotes made news on popular television stations including the Tanzanian Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) and the Independent Television Limited (ITV). Furthermore, the report was featured on Radio at Times FM, Clouds FM, and Radio One. Over 10 widely read local newspapers and blogs, including an anglophone “The Citizen”, and the Kiswahili written “Nipashe”, and “Mwananchi” published our event’s key message. This dissemination effort indeed underscored a collective commitment to improving youth mental health in Tanzania.