Implications of conflict on mental health in Somalia and beyond

Abstract

Introduction: Somalia, a nation in the horn of Africa, has been suffering from continuous conflict, political unrest and a high disease burden since the outbreak of civil war in 1991 (World Bank n.d.; IHME n.d.). The dearth of established governance has culminated in inadequate access to social services and the collapse of public institutions involved in the health and welfare of the Somali population. Despite the success of a few business sectors, the country is marred with widespread social and economic problems, and seriously deficient public institutions also challenged by the acute demands and complications of the ongoing global pandemic (WHO 2010). Mental health, an important factor that encompasses ‘health’, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), remains an ignored domain in the nation. In fact, it is given the least importance owing to lack of funds and poor allocation of resources by the donor community as well as the local authorities (WHO 2010, 2021). According to a WHO report, every one out of three Somali citizens is affected by some form of mental health disorder. It has been estimated that the prevalence of mental health illness in Somalia is higher than that of other low-income and war-torn nations (WHO 2010). Less than 1 consultation per person per year for all reasons has been reported during the month of September 2021 (WHO 2021). We aim to discuss the effects and challenges that this conflict presents to the mental health of the Somali population – both in Somalia and elsewhere – and provide recommendations to help alleviate this public health crisis.