With due respect to all those who expressed their opinion on this report, I
think there is too much emphasis on the numbers at the detriment of missing
the critical message embodied in the article – rising cases of “mental”
and “behavioral” disorders. I am in no way condoning that the statistics
quoted is the correct picture. Be it 6%, 16% or 60%, the mere insinuation
that there are increased incidents should be enough of a concern for all of
us. I would nonetheless urge the Independents’ Sheikh Al-Kinky Sanyang
(Where did this guy get his name? - Just kidding) to consult some of the
other members of the “the community mental health team” for a second
opinion. Since this Sonko Nurse is said to have based his assertions from
a “hypothesis from the community mental health team." He should seek to
substantiate this claim with a more authoritative opinion.

“…the career psychiatric nurse said the mental health situation of Gambians
gauged from a broad spectrum shows that it is not only people who have
vigrant or psychiatric disorder in the streets who fall into the bracket.
He said it also include a good number of Gambians who are otherwise seen as
normal persons bearing traces of behavioural disorders. He further noted
that even the remaining 40 percent without mental disorder are
characterized by people with relative neurotic disorder.”

I am concerned with one assertion in the above quote from the article. That
everyone in the country has some kind of or “traces of behavioral
disorders” or “relative neurotic disorder.” Not a good picture for a
country ruled by a “manic oppressive” like Jammeh. I hope you’re proven
wrong Mr. Sonko.

It is widely believed and proven in some cases that trauma and social
decadence as well as drugs and alcohol are contributing factors in the
mental well being of any society. In the United States, psychiatrists are
said to have seen increased number of patients as direct result of or from
increased use of drugs and alcohol since the September 11 incident. What
does that mean for the average household in the Gambia where at least one
member of each family is unemployed therefore frustrated and depressed for
not being able to provide; fearful of the fragile situation of security in
a country where coup attempts are announced on a regular bases, people
being abducted in the middle of the night, kids being shot to death in
broad day light. Poverty on the rise. All these issues are contributing
factors to the mental well being of the average Gambian. We should not
loose sight of that fact. All indications are that these factors are a
continuous part of daily living in the Gambia for all but a few.

In light of this and other issues, I would want to remind those who can to
look into the plight of the most vulnerable members of our society –
children. What is the government doing to protect the mental balance of
those kids who are exposed to abject poverty, drugs, insecurity and other
forms of social decadence?

Good day to all. I hope we all remain mentally balanced.

Abdoulie A.Jallow
(BambaLaye)

<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>

To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]

<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>