Synopsis
“On the road to mental health” It is a series of three episodes recorded in Senegal with the realization of the photojournalist Pablo Tosco (World Press Photo 2021) with Juan Ciudad ONGD and the participation of the two Dalal Xel Mental Health Centers in Thiès and Fatick.
The series' common thread is the testimonies of those served and professionals from the community mental health project teams promoted by the Dalal Xel Centers in Thiès and Fatick, who go out once a week to care for vulnerable people in rural settings.
Each episode tells, from a different perspective, the importance of this health intervention, which seeks to respond to the needs of people who suffer Mental health problems in Senegal today and do not have specialized services.
"On the road to mental health" It is a production of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God
Teaser "On the Road to Mental Health"
Awareness campaign
Mental health in Senegal
San Juan de Dios España has created this awareness campaign to show the importance of addressing mental health in disadvantaged countries such as Senegal, where the Hospitaller Order has two social health centers that have been promoting a program since 2020. community mental health project which has already benefited more than 25,000 people in 13 rural communities.
The two centers of San Juan de Dios are called Dalal Xel, which in Wolof literally means 'calm the spirit', and are located in the cities of Thiès and Fatick, where They serve nearly 27,000 men and women with mental health problems from all over Senegal and even neighboring countries such as Mauritania and Mali.
This project, which was created to serve people in rural areas who lack the means to travel and require psychiatric care, is supported by Juan Ciudad ONGD, the international cooperation organization of San Juan de Dios Spain.
Meet the protagonists of On the road to mental health
Abdulaye Danfa
Psychiatrist Dalal Xel Mental Health Center in Thiès.
Abdulaye Danfa
“The reason we launched this delocalized primary health care system is because we realized that the Dalal Xel Mental Health Center in Thiès is the only mental health facility in five regions of Senegal.”
Fatou
Person treated at Richard Toll.
Fatou
“I started hearing voices and thought it was a curse or witchcraft, but it was the illness that was appearing, although I didn't know that at the time.” “They talked to me and explained what the illness was. They treated me very well, really. That's when I understood what was happening to me.”
Aliou
24-year-old patient treated in Sokone.
Aliou
"I felt like my body wasn't my own, and I couldn't sleep. I also couldn't pick up utensils to feed myself. Now I feel better because the symptoms I had are gone."
Suzane Niuki
Community Mental Health Program Coordinator
Suzane Niuki
“Mental health is automatically associated with insanity. But when we began raising awareness about mental illness, we were able to help them understand that mental illness is an illness like diabetes or hypertension, and that people can receive care.”
Catherine Bakhoum
Community Mental Health Team Nursing Assistant
Catherine Bakhoum
“To ensure people receive quality treatment, we travel ourselves, call them to schedule appointments, and let them know how important it is to attend and take care of their mental health.”
Who we are
The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God It is a non-profit institution, present in 52 countries around the world, whose mission is to heal and care for the most disadvantaged people, placing them at the center and addressing their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions.
It has 80 social and health centers and facilities distributed throughout the national territory, and a history of close collaboration with both different public administrations and private entities, in which serves people in situations of or at risk of social exclusion, homeless people, mental health, intellectual disability and dependency - elderly, migrants and refugees. This work also encourages the opening of the centers to society and the release of users from the premises to facilitate their social integration and foster social ties.
Mental health in Senegal
How did the idea of the documentary come about? On the road to mental health ?
In Senegal, there are fewer than ten specialized mental health centers for a population of 18 million. Faced with this lack of specialized psychiatric social and health services in the country, Saint John of God launched the two Dalal Xel Mental Health Centers more than two decades ago. In 2020, they decided to expand their reach by sending healthcare teams to rural areas.
This community mental health project has already benefited more than 25,000 people in 13 rural communities, as some of them report in the episodes of "On the Road to Mental Health." Fatou is a woman who receives care and follow-up in the town of Richard Toll, and young Aliou regularly attends the clinics held by the Dalal Xel team at a school in Sokone.
As shown in the campaign videos, two types of medicine coexist in Senegal: traditional medicine and modern medicine. This reality is familiar to the healthcare professionals on the Saint John of God teams who travel to rural areas, where most people first turn to a marabou (traditional healer).
However, the respect with which the professionals at San Juan de Dios provide care is having a very positive impact on the population, who appreciate and value the continuous, high-quality care they receive. In addition, awareness-raising efforts in the area of mental health for prevention and care, including for families, are also being implemented. “When the patient is stable, everyone is at peace,” says Suzane Niuki, coordinator of the community mental health program at the Dalal Xel Center in Thiès, in the second episode of “On the Road to Mental Health.”
