Senators have called for the incorporation of Rwandan solutions into the country's efforts towards addressing mental health challenges. They said this during a session to examine a report from the Senate's Committee for Social Affairs and Human Rights. ALSO READ: Trauma: Clinical psychologist on the essence of helping society heal The report highlighted some challenges including the fact that an exceedingly high percentage of mental health patients is handled by Ndera Neuropsychiatric Hospital. According to the report, 83.2 percent of the mental health patients were being treated at Ndera when the senators toured the hospital early this month. The commission appreciated that the Ministry of Health is aware of the problem of the large number of mental patients and has taken steps to solve it by building a specialized hospital in Kinyinya sector that will support Ndera. ALSO READ: Senators suggest use of psychologists to look into school dropout Speaking during the session, the Deputy Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee, Cyprien Niyomugabo said that research on culture and human behavior has shown that poetry, spoken word and music can be supportive therapy for relieving mental health issues. Here, he cited that responsible people should look into how Rwandan music, poems and instruments like inanga can be used in this regard. Senator Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu said due to stigma around mental illness some people in Rwanda don’t seek treatment. He stated, “It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that we help each other to tackle mental illness.” Senator Evode Uwizeyimana said that, “A society like ours which went through the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi needs to establish a culture of seeking mental treatment.” Uwizeyimana added that efforts should be put in place to help people in society, especially those who struggle without seeking help ALSO READ: Call for effective strategies to tackle history-based trauma Adrie Umuhire, the chairperson of the committee emphasized that there is a need for more psychiatrists since they will help a lot in curbing mental illness. The commission also presented the roadmap for the establishment of a special unit in charge of monitoring mental patients who are prosecuted for crimes in order to help them get justice, within a period of not more than three months. The National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) staff and doctors will be trained to increase their knowledge in medical services provided to people with mental health problems, while they are being prosecuted.
