About 150 million people across Africa are living with mental health, neurological or substance use conditions, with many still unable to access the care and support they require, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
The global health body said stigma, discrimination and limited access to services continue to prevent many people from seeking or receiving appropriate care, urging African countries to strengthen community-based mental health services.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, made the call in his message to mark World Mental Health Day 2026, observed under the theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.”
Janabi said mental health influences virtually every aspect of life, including how people learn, work, relate with others and participate in their communities.
He identified depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and other substance use disorders among the conditions affecting individuals, families and communities across the African Region.
According to him, people living with mental health conditions must have a greater role in shaping the policies, programmes and services designed to support them.
He said their experiences could help identify gaps in existing services, determine interventions that make a difference and ensure that treatment respects the dignity and rights of patients.
Janabi stressed that merely asking people to share their experiences was insufficient, arguing that their participation should extend to decision-making and the design of mental health services.
He said people with lived experience should be involved in developing policies, designing services and strengthening peer-led initiatives, adding that their knowledge, combined with clinical and public health expertise, could make mental health care more responsive and accountable.
The WHO Regional Director said the organisation was already creating opportunities for such participation across Africa.
He noted that people with lived experience had served as key facilitators during this year’s Regional Mental Health Webinar Series and Mental Health Intercountry Learning Meetings held in South Africa and Togo.
According to him, the initiatives were planned and delivered in collaboration with the Pan African Network of People with Psychosocial Disabilities, Aves Mental Health and United for Global Mental Health.
He said the same principle was reflected in the recently published Mental Health in Africa Investment Case by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, which advocates stronger community-based services, protection of human rights and sustained involvement of service users.
Janabi said the investment case also places the integration of mental health into primary healthcare at the centre of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
However, he said significant gaps remained across the region, noting that only seven of the 47 countries in the WHO African Region were implementing comprehensive mental health integration into primary healthcare.
He added that average government spending on mental health stood at only US$0.07 per person in Africa, compared with US$2.69 globally.
Janabi further observed that mental healthcare was often fragmented or concentrated in major urban centres, leaving many communities without adequate support close to home.
He called for stronger national leadership and increased, sustained investment to close the gaps and expand access to mental healthcare.
“On this World Mental Health Day, I urge Member States to establish formal and sustained mechanisms for lived experience participation,” he said.
He also urged health professionals, civil society organisations and development partners to support the leadership of people with lived experience and help bring compassionate mental health care closer to communities.
“As WHO, we are committed to working alongside Member States and communities to expand accessible and rights-based care throughout the Region,” Janabi said.
He added that giving greater prominence to the voices of people with lived experience could help transform mental health services and make them more responsive to the realities of those who depend on them.
