By Marian Magdalene Bangura, Strategic Communications Unit – MoICE
Dr. Carol Labor, Senior Adviser and Technical Lead at the Mental Health Secretariat of the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), has reaffirmed government’s commitment to increasing awareness, accessibility, and availability of mental health services across Sierra Leone.
Speaking on the country’s progress since her appointment in April 2022, Dr. Labor said the establishment of the Presidential Task Force on Mental Health marked a major step forward in addressing mental health, neurological diseases, and substance use disorders.
“Addiction is not a moral failing—it is a disease of the brain,” Dr. Labor emphasized. “When we talk about rehabilitation, we must also understand relapse as part of the illness. That’s why we are focusing on continuous care and community-based support.”
Launched in April 2023 with the participation of the President and Vice President, the Presidential Task Force on Mental Health has been instrumental in coordinating awareness and prevention efforts nationwide. Through support from the Global Fund, the Secretariat developed a national training curriculum and has since trained over 1,090 people to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health, neurological, and substance use conditions.
According to Dr. Labor, these trainees include KUSH Ambassadors—former substance users who now work as peer educators to raise awareness about addiction in their communities. “The peer-to-peer model is powerful because people relate to those who have lived the same experience,” she noted.
She further explained that addressing addiction requires more than rehabilitation centers—it calls for a whole-of-society approach that tackles the social determinants of mental health, such as poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and trauma.
Dr. Labor drew attention to the deep-rooted trauma affecting many Sierra Leoneans, noting that “our nation’s mental health crisis is linked to historical and generational trauma.” She explained that even children born after the war are still affected by its residual impact.
“Trauma changes the brain,” she said. “Children born during the war may have been affected through epigenetics, where a mother’s stress and trauma influence her unborn child. When brain development is disrupted, especially in the part responsible for decision-making, young people may adopt maladaptive behaviors just to cope.”
Through the Task Force and partnerships with the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Secretariat continues to strengthen prevention and early intervention programs while training more community members to identify and support individuals in need of help.
Dr. Labor also cautioned that some individuals are genetically predisposed to addiction, making compassion and understanding essential in tackling substance use.
“Our focus must be on prevention, early support, and rehabilitation, not condemnation,” she said. “Together, we can build a compassionate and resilient Sierra Leone where mental health is prioritized, and every person has the opportunity to heal and thrive.”
