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A delegation from the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) met with Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education, and senior ministry officials on Tuesday to discuss initiatives aimed at modernizing Sierra Leone’s mental health framework.
Dr. Wurie welcomed the delegation and emphasized the importance of mental well-being for the country’s predominantly youthful population. She highlighted that mental health is critical to sustainable development and expressed gratitude to Africa CDC for providing a platform to share best practices. The Minister pledged her Ministry’s full support for efforts to modernize Sierra Leone’s outdated mental health legislation.
Dr. Mohamed Abdul Aziz, Head of the Division of Disease Control and Prevention, lauded Sierra Leone’s leadership in prioritizing mental health and underscored the urgency of passing the Mental Health Bill, which will replace the colonial-era Lunacy Act of 1902. He emphasized that early intervention among young people is essential to reduce long-term mental health risks and non-communicable diseases.
Other delegation members shared continental experiences, including lessons from Nigeria’s 2022 Mental Health Act, youth-led advocacy driving Kenya’s Mental Health Amendment Act in 2022, and Zimbabwe’s progressive reforms that highlight the need for adequate funding and dedicated mental health desks within government ministries.
The meeting underscored the critical need to replace outdated laws to enable more effective prevention, treatment, and promotion of mental health across Sierra Leone, particularly among its youth.
