MENTAL health patients face community abuse and are sidelined from performing community roles, World Health Organisation (WHO) focal health person for mental health, Debra Machando has said.

Speaking during the WHO quality rights graduation ceremony in Chisipite, Harare, Machando yesterday said the public generally has misconceptions that mental health patients cannot make decisions.

“In our environment, there are a lot of misconceptions about people who are mentally ill, and people who live with mental health conditions are treated harshly, shouted at, abused verbally and treated suspiciously, thus creating room for violence. When someone has a mental health condition, people misconstrue that they cannot make decisions,” Machando said.

“A lot of people are actually living with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, hence anyone and everyone can actually suffer from a mental health condition.”

She said there is need for mental health awareness within communities.

“In Zimbabwe, we have successfully trained 100 participants, with over 400 currently enrolled at Ingutsheni Hospital in Bulawayo to get first-hand experience with mental patients.”

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Claudette Sunduza, the youngest graduate trainee, said the e-learning programme was an eye opener for her to respect mental health patients.

Adelaide Nyandoro, a mental health programme officer for CBM, a leading organisation in disability inclusive development, said millions of work hours are lost annually worldwide as caregivers take care of mental patients.