Addressing Yemen’s mental health care emergency

13 April 2021

Amidst the violence and destruction caused by seven years of conflict in Yemen, the issue of mental health (and provision of mental health support) has been largely overlooked. A recent piece by The Guardian highlights the scale of Yemen’s mental health crisis. For instance, 80 percent of children surveyed in 2018 showed signs of PTSD. Between 2014-2015, suicides increased 40 percent in the capital Sana’a. These challenges are compounded by the fact that there is an average of one psychiatrist for 750,000 people in the country.

Primary research conducted by ARK in Yemen since 2019 on the topic revealed that local communities are generally unaware of psychosocial support services (PSS) and do not consider it a priority area. The research revealed a correlation between the level of education of respondents and their receptiveness to psychosocial programs; the higher the level of education, the more likely the person would welcome psychosocial support. Many respondents across target locations underscored the need to generate greater awareness about the option of psychosocial support as a necessity rather than a luxury, in a context where food insecurity, epidemics, and armed violence are everyday concerns.

As ARK noted last year, a cultural stigma continues to surround mental health and its treatment in Yemeni society. Despite the increasing prevalence of mental health issues in the country, the topic itself remains, in many cases, a source of shame for the families of those affected. A significant number of children, women, and men who experience mental health issues are neglected by their families as a result, and in some cases are even abandoned and disowned.

Working with ARK, the NGO Yemen Aid has recently developed special psychological support-based responses to prevent, mitigate, and/or address protection needs and risks. This included enhancing individual and community coping strategies by targeting individuals in three governorates, through the provision of intensive psychosocial support to 155 people beneficiaries most in need of psychotherapy and mental care.  

To highlight the importance of emotional and psychological health in the country, Yemen Aid conducted awareness raising activities about mental health issues in local communities. Awareness messages included (but were not limited to) the following topics: the importance of mental health during crises, mental health tips, forms of mental disorders, how to deal with mental disorders, and how to relieve depression, anxiety, and stress.

These activities also included group-based programs, which provided men and women with the opportunity to connect and share stories with people in similar circumstances and backgrounds; an activity designed both to help promote greater social cohesion and reduce social isolation of individuals. The project created trusting and supporting relationships to help maximize the beneficiaries’ engagement and increase impact. Six PSS specialists from the targeted locations were trained to improve the capacity of local communities in PSS service provision. 

The results of the activity were encouraging, with the majority of beneficiaries reporting improvement (in one location, 88 percent of men and 100 percent of women beneficiaries reported improvement). According to the final interviews conducted, many beneficiaries confirmed that the therapy sessions had changed their lives for the better, with most claiming to feel a significant difference in their personality after completing the PSS activity. Many beneficiaries said the support they received had made a significant, positive impact on their social relationships. Some beneficiaries said that the PSS program enhanced their coping strategies in the community.

Despite the promising results, the activity was a pilot and thus small in scale. Although provisions were taken to guarantee that beneficiaries will continue to receive support upon the conclusion of the activity, PSS programs need to be long term. Given there are not currently enough PSS specialists in Yemen to care for the vast number of people who require PSS support, there is an urgent need to train and develop the capacity of PSS specialists throughout Yemen.