In South Sudan, the violent and brutal war has put millions of women, men, and children at risk. People continue to live with the horrors of the past and the uncertainties of the future, as well as the stresses of everyday life. Virtually all of the population has witnessed war. Many have lost family, friends, and neighbors. All have had their lives significantly disrupted. People are dying and not only from hunger and violence. Food is often replaced by alcohol and lack of hope for any change makes many resort to violence. Anger, frustration, fear, and despair cause people to isolate themselves. Families are losing their members to depression, self-neglect, and suicides. Hopelessness is endemic.
South Sudanese hospitals and health clinics are overrun with people in need of mental health care. Neither the government nor local or international NGOs have the capacity to address the need. Dr. Atong Ayuel Longar, Director for Mental Health, South Sudan Ministry of Health, shared with CMBM, “I am 1 of 3 psychiatrists for the whole country. Having gone through a long war, people are traumatized and subjected to a variety of mental illnesses…which they end up self-medicating themselves by using illicit drugs. This is the vicious cycle.”
