CDC Africa Team Meets Minister of Technical and Higher Education on Mental Health Reforms.

The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) delegation has met with the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, together with senior Directors of the Ministry, to deliberate on mental health reform initiatives.

Dr. Wurie welcomed the delegation, reaffirming that Sierra Leone’s youthful population remains its greatest national asset, and stressing that mental well-being is fundamental to sustainable development. She expressed gratitude to Africa CDC for creating a platform to exchange best practices and pledged her Ministry’s support towards efforts aimed at modernizing Sierra Leone’s mental health legislation.

Head of the Division of Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Mohamed Abdul Aziz, commended Sierra Leone’s leadership and urged strong backing for the passage of the Mental Health Bill, which is designed to replace the colonial-era Lunacy Act of 1902. He highlighted that prioritizing early intervention among young people is vital to reducing future risks of non-communicable diseases and long-term mental health challenges.

Other members of the delegation also shared valuable experiences from across the continent, which included:

1. Lessons from sponsoring Nigeria’s 2022 Mental Health Act.

2. The youth-led advocacy that successfully secured the passage of Kenya’s Mental Health Amendment Act in 2022.

3. Zimbabwe’s progressive reforms, emphasizing the need for adequate funding and the establishment of mental health desks within government ministries.

4. The urgency of replacing the outdated Lunacy Act to enable more effective treatment, prevention, and promotion of mental health.