Nearly 150m Africans live with mental health conditions — WHO

Agency urges greater funding, community-based care
By Chidinma Chukwu, Abuja
Nearly 150 million people across Africa are living with mental health, neurological or substance use conditions, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said, calling for greater investment in mental healthcare across the continent.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, disclosed this in his message on the 2026 World Mental Health Day theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.”
Janabi said conditions including depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol and other substance use disorders continued to affect individuals, families and communities across Africa.
He also not...