Growing focus on mental wellness
In Juba this week, health officials, aid agencies and entrepreneurs met to discuss what they call an “urgent but promising” mental-health moment for South Sudan. Delegates praised the transitional government for stepping forward after years of conflict-related trauma.
Partners hail government drive
Patrick Arama, mental-health manager at the International Rescue Committee, said government and partners are “working diligently to scale up services,” noting incremental gains in case detection and counselling reach.
Mental Health Strategy 2025-2029
Director Akoc Aduk of Rival Wellness Center outlined the new Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Strategy for 2025-2029, calling it “the first of its kind” and a stepping-stone toward a dedicated Mental Health Act.
Challenges in staffing and facilities
Yet capacity remains thin. The sole psychiatric unit at Juba Teaching Hospital holds just twelve beds. Nationwide, four psychiatrists and twenty-four psychologists attempt to serve a population of more than twelve million.
Cultural barriers and stigma
Lucy Future founder Kockedhia Mabior warned that myths and stigma keep many sufferers silent. “The fact that we can publicly debate mental health marks progress,” she said, but community education must run alongside clinical expansion.
Road ahead for policy and funding
Speakers urged lawmakers to allocate a national budget line, arguing that predictable funding would unlock training, medicines and data systems. Arama concluded, “Momentum is real; sustained investment can turn today’s dialogue into tomorrow’s resilient, productive society.”