In commemoration of Cancer Month, the Berea District Health Management Team (DHMT) provided free health services at the event in Teyateyaneng on Monday.

The District Medical Officer, Mr. Liketso Mochochoko said this campaign is part of the cancer awareness month.

He said they selected the Berea District to raise awareness of non-communicable diseases like cervical cancer, breast cancer, mental health, blood pressure, and other diseases.

He said these diseases are chronic but if they are detected early, they can be prevented hence it is important to have frequent check-ups.

He, therefore, urged people to frequently test for such diseases, saying this will help detection of these diseases at an early stage.

Also speaking, the Health Partners’ Senior Psychiatrist, Dr Swapna Moorthy said the prevalence of mental health conditions in Lesotho is 20.8%, saying 431 000 people in Lesotho are living with a mental disorder at any given time.

Dr Moorthy stressed that the burden of mental illness in Lesotho increases as people age from childhood to adolescence, thus peaking between ages 15 to 19.

She noted that most children who need mental health services mostly do not receive care, adding that the problem they face at home and in their lives can tie into a major problem.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 450 million people suffer from mental and behavioural disorders. Data from across the world revealed that mortality is significantly higher among people with mental disorders,” she stressed.

Dr Moorthy mentioned that in most low-income countries, up to 90% of people living with a severe mental disorder do not have access to care.

She, therefore, appealed to parents and teachers to identify abnormal behaviour from students and seek professional help for them before it is too late.

People from the Berea community were screened freely for various non-transmitted diseases.

By staff Reporter: Maphoka Likotsi