Minister of Health, Selibe Mochoboroane, has called for stronger global support in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health challenges, warning that these conditions are weakening families, straining the economy, and robbing young people of their future.
Speaking at a high-level United Nations meeting, Mochoboroane noted that Lesotho continues to face alarming health challenges, including one of the highest suicide rates in the world.
To respond, the government has adopted a new mental health policy and strategic plan in 2024 and is finalising a national plan for NCDs. The Minister said mental health and NCD services are being integrated into primary healthcare, supported by digital tools such as telemedicine to extend access to remote communities.
Health workers are also being trained to provide psychological first aid and early support for mental health conditions, while schools and communities are running programmes to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce stigma, the minister said.
Mochoboroane further announced new infrastructure developments, including the construction of a national cancer centre and Lesotho’s first palliative care facility. Plans have also been approved for a modern psychiatric hospital and a rehabilitation centre for substance abuse.
To ensure a coordinated response, he said, the country has established a national system that brings together government institutions, civil society, and people with lived experience of NCDs and mental illness.
Mochoboroane urged the UN and international partners to provide more financial and technical assistance, calling for expanded access to essential medicines, digital solutions, and greater prioritisation of NCD and mental health prevention on the global agenda.
Summary
- To respond, the government has adopted a new mental health policy and strategic plan in 2024 and is finalising a national plan for NCDs.
- Health workers are also being trained to provide psychological first aid and early support for mental health conditions, while schools and communities are running programmes to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce stigma, the minister said.
- Mochoboroane urged the UN and international partners to provide more financial and technical assistance, calling for expanded access to essential medicines, digital solutions, and greater prioritisation of NCD and mental health prevention on the global agenda.
Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.
