KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO – Jean Kaseya, the director general of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, was deeply impacted by the tragic experience of his younger brother, Dieudonné. After losing contact with Dieudonné in 2018, Kaseya discovered that his brother had been jailed in the northern region of the country. Despite efforts to bring Dieudonné to the hospital for treatment, his mental health had deteriorated significantly, ultimately leading to his passing.
Motivated by his brother’s ordeal, Kaseya has made it his mission to address the lack of mental health care in African countries, where an estimated 116 million people suffer from mental health conditions. Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, Africa CDC launched a Mental Health Leadership Programme to train healthcare professionals on prioritizing mental health and integrate mental health care into community health programs across the continent.
The high cost of treatment for Dieudonné’s mental health issues highlighted to Kaseya the financial burden that many families face in accessing mental health care. He emphasizes the importance of regional manufacturing of affordable medications to make treatment more accessible for those in need. Additionally, Kaseya has advocated for better mental health services in prisons, as he found that many inmates in military prisons in the DRC were unjustly incarcerated due to mental health issues.
Kaseya’s personal experience with his brother’s mental health struggles has driven him to address the societal stigmas and systemic challenges that hinder access to mental health care in Africa. By sharing his story and advocating for improved mental health services, Kaseya hopes to prevent others from suffering the same fate as his brother. Through his role at Africa CDC, he continues to push for policy changes and initiatives that prioritize mental health across the continent.