Sick and Chained: Africans With Mental Health Conditions

For nearly a year, Benjamin Billal was kept chained to a rock.

"I was taken to a faith healing center by my grandmother and my mother," Billal told reporters by video link from Monrovia, Liberia on Tuesday.

"I was chained to a rock, where I stayed for about 11 months. There, there was no food. They gave us food at will -- when they feel like giving you food, they gave you food. And there, we had no freedom moving around."

Why was he treated this way? Apparently¹ because of his mental health condition. After being freed, Billal was taken to Liberia's only mental health medical center. There, doctors reported that he had depression.

The use of extreme methods to restrain and detain² mentally sick people is not unusual in Africa. In fact, it is common in many parts of the world. In some cases, children as young as 10 are being chained and held in extremely small spaces by their families, a new report by Human Rights Watch has found.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that as many as 20 percent of Liberians suffer from minor³ to moderate mental health problems. Yet, WHO data shows that the West African country has extremely limited medical care for such patients. In 2016, there was only one psychiatrist⁴ working in Liberia.

Poverty leaves many families in Liberia struggling to live. For them, experts say, mental health care is low on the list of needs to be met.

Kriti Sharma is the writer of the recent Human Rights Watch report. She described her findings as "horrific."

"People can spend years tied to a tree, locked in a cage or sheep shed," she said. She added that the living conditions are often overcrowded and dirty.

Sharma accused governments of failing their communities, especially when it comes to aid for mental health.

"One man in Kenya told me, ‘I've been chained for five years. The chain is so heavy it makes me sad.'

Sharma said the man reported spending his days in one room with six other men, without even being permitted clothing to wear.

"He told me, ‘it's not how a human being is supposed to be. A human being should be free,'" Sharma said.

Michael Njenga is the Kenya-based chairman of the Pan African Network for Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities. He says he has two recommendations⁵ for governments.

First, he says they should order full bans on the use of chains.

And second, Njenga suggests government develop community-based mental health services that offer many kinds of treatment.

Billal's story ended well. His older brother rescued him from the faith healing center and took him to a mental health center in Monrovia. He was later able to complete his education.

He is now a schoolteacher and mental health activist⁶. He says he works to make sure no one else will be chained.

Words in This Story

chain – v. to restrain someone with metal links

depression – n. a mental illness that causes extreme sadness

cage - n. a metal enclosure usually used to hold animals

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 detain   

vt.拘留，扣留，留住，耽搁

参考例句：

• The act allows police to detain a suspect for up to 48 hours.该法令允许警方将嫌疑犯扣押最多48小时。
• Allow me to detain you for a moment.请允许我耽误你一会。

3 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

4 psychiatrist   

n.精神病专家；精神病医师

参考例句：

• He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。
• The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

5 recommendations   

n.推荐( recommendation的名词复数 )；推荐信；正式建议；提议

参考例句：

• The board completely disregarded my recommendations. 董事会完全无视我的建议。
• Recommendations from two previous clients helped to establish her credibility. 两位以前的客户的推荐有助于确立她的诚信度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。