Lock Down, Social Distancing and Mental Health during the COVID19Pandemic in African Settings: The Peopl

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the resolution of a total lockdown both in developed and developing countries. The lock-down has worsened the prevailing economic crisis; affected the health and political system; and exacerbated unemployment levels in African settings, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo. All these factors have had detrimental effects on the mental health of the affected population. We sought to provide insight into policy-relevant approaches including the integrative community-based organization, digital health; systematic screening of mental health problems in primary and clinical health care, given that failure to treat those who are emotionally affected will result in long-term social and economic outcomes. The primary health workforce should be trained and empowered to become incrementally efficient and to provide sustained mental health care services through digital health systems. Helping communities affected by COVID-19 to feel better mentally will require the integration of new technologies within primary health care to enable access to mental health screening and psychotherapy centered on a supportive therapy strategy, anger, and stress management. Furthermore, the establishment of personalized and integrative community-based mental health care will go a long way to assist mental health in developing countries characterized by a paucity of workers in order to achieve the coverage of mental health services during health emergencies. Any partnerships between the ministry of health and international organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic should plan for global commitment to increase the provision of needed mental health care services in the concerned communities.