Mental health is a right for every citizen, just as physical health is. The adolescent journey in mental health is often neglected or grossly under-represented in many instances. The number of mental health specialists in sub-saharan africa, who take care of children and adolescents is dismal.
Many adolescents strugglig with mental health issues do not have access to care. It all starts with inability of the community and the health care workers to screen for and diagnose mental health in adolescents.
The eye can’t see what the mind doesn’t know.
For us to address adolescent mental health effectively, we must start from the bottom, up. We must create awareness in our communities about the importance of mental health for all, with emphasis on the neglected cohort of adolescents. We must also advocate for responsive health systems that can sufficiently cater to this underserved segment of the population.