BONEMEH ADVOCATES FOR MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE TO BE PRIORITISED IN GOVT AGENDA

The Botswana Network for Mental Health is a non-governmental organization seeking to advance Mental health response through advocacy , implementation ,coordination and integration of mental health in various sectors of economy

Mental health response has over the years grown and we are now seeing various partnerships for mental health support growing. I’m Happy to say you, the Media  have been instrumental in advancing this agenda. As BONMEH we recognise and will forever appreciate your efforts. We have made significant progress in raising awareness on mental health and we did so through your support and for that I say, THANK YOU.

Covid – 19 has not only disrupted lives but it greatly affected our mental health. In recognition of the importance and urgency of addressing Mental Health, WHO is calling for member states to reconsider commitments on investing in mental health.

BONMEH has been up in arms advocating for support on mental health response and mainstreaming of mental health in the government agenda. In 2021 BONMEH through its Partnership with National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency started a journey of social contracting, where we coordinated the mental health response in 3 districts being Greater Gaborone, Kweneng & South East for the provision of counselling to the general public across the country through telephonic and virtual counselling.

Today BONMEH has called you the media, as stakeholders to share & celebrate  our growth, BONMEH s  portfolio been increased to coordinate 7 District. We celebrate this growth because it indicates an advancement of mental health response and assurance of the government’s commitment to mental health.

Keitsholofeste Psychosocial Support for Pregnant Women – Greater Kanye

BOSASNET – Greater Gaborone

Mabogo A A Thebana – Greater Gaborone / Kweneng & Selibe Phikwe

Valor Mental Health Foundation – Greater Francistown

Home for Hope – Greater Tutume

Just Hope Foundation – Greater Maun

These organizations will be offering psycho – education and counselling in this respective areas. We encourage Batswana to utilize these services whose purpose is to improve the quality of people’s  lives.  We have in attendance, representatives from some of the organizations that will be providing mental health services in the areas mentioned.

Target population varies per organization, however not excluding, teenage mothers, mothers in Prevention of mother to child transmission , Widows, Adolescent and Young people , Adolescent girls and young women,

BONMEH continues to provide telephonic /virtual counselling services to the nation wherever they are.

1. The above organizations are charged with the responsibility to ensure quality provision of counselling services
2. We wish to give all credit due to NATIONAL AIDS & HEALTH PROMOTION AGENCY FOR THE GRANT ALLOCATION TO MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE. It is because of NAHPA that we are able to build our capacity as an organization as. We thank you for continuing to trust BONMEH in this important field. We don’t take this opportunity to offer mental health services for granted . Let me extend an invitation to other stakeholders to lend a helping hand and offer support to assist us expand and increase services across the country through the same model .This partnership in utilization of opportunities of funding has proven to be efficient and also fosters collaborations to achieve other Sustainable development goals as per SDGs 17

• Introducing the role of BONASO is key in this partnership, it is a structure recognized by the NSF to coordinate efforts of CSOs in the HIV response. BONMEH continually receives capacity building and technical support in areas of monitoring and evaluation from BONASO to ensure quality service delivery. We are also happy to see mental health response factored in the HIV response, this was also possible because of platforms BONANSO created and continually creates for organizations like BONMEH to participate and contribute on tables of decision making. BONMEH values the partnership & role BONASO plays in their development. To this I humbly say, Thank you
• BONMEH is appealing for support of its partners as they implement the services which are set for 9 months in various districts, and BONMEH is hopeful that Development partners locally and internationally will assist in growing and up-scaling the efforts by NAHPA to EXTEND SERVICES across the country to atleast 3 to 5 years duration for strengthened impact.
• Thank you ,

By Charity Kiki Kennedy