As we close Mental Health Awareness Month, we are reminded that mental wellbeing is not merely the absence of illness, it is the presence of balance, resilience, and connection. Mental health, as defined by Galderisi and colleagues in World Psychiatry (2015), is “a dynamic state of internal equilibrium which enables individuals to use their abilities in harmony with universal values of society.” It is an equilibrium that allows us to think clearly, empathize with others, cope with life’s challenges, and function meaningfully in our communities. Yet for millions of South Africans, that equilibrium remains difficult to achieve.
According to the 2022 WHO Mental State of the World Report, South Africa ranked lowest globally for mental wellbeing. This finding mirrors a worrying rise in mental distress and suicide rates. With 23.5 suicides per 100,000 people, our country ranks 10th globally, a sobering indicator of the depth of the crisis. Among the 13,774 suicides reported, men accounted for nearly 79%, highlighting not only the gendered nature of mental health struggles but also the cultural barriers that often prevent men from seeking help.
The WHO identifies six key dimensions of mental health, mood and outlook, social self, drive and motivation, adaptability and resilience, cognition, and mind-body connection. On nearly all of these fronts, our nation’s wellbeing has been tested by economic hardship, social isolation, and post-pandemic fatigue.
From within the Medscheme universe, one of South Africa’s leading health administration and managed care organisations, and an AfroCentric Group company, the data tells a similar story. Over the past decade, mental health prevalence based on claims has increased by 27%, with depression alone rising by 38.7%.
In 2024, mental health-related claims totaled R4.5 billion, reflecting both growing demand and the cost of care. The majority of these costs stem from mental health facilities (23.4%), psychologists (19.4%), and psychiatrists (19.2%), with pharmacies, occupational therapy, and social work contributing smaller shares.
These trends are not merely financial, they represent people navigating distress, often in a fragmented system where access to qualified professionals remains limited, especially outside urban centres.
At the 10th Healthcare Innovation Summit Africa, I explored how digital tools can transform mental health access, especially in underserved and remote areas. The question is not whether we have the technology, it’s how we deploy it with empathy, equity, and cultural awareness.
Imagine a “Virtual Psychiatry Hospital”, a multidisciplinary, digitally enabled care model that integrates psychiatry, psychology, and primary care. Funded under Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs), such a model allows for round-the-clock access to clinicians, regardless of geography. It represents the next step toward value-based care in mental health, where outcomes, not just visits, define success.
The rise of wearable technology and mobile health apps provides opportunities for real-time monitoring of mental and emotional states. These platforms can help detect early warning signs of distress, prompting timely intervention.
In a country as linguistically and culturally diverse as South Africa, innovation must also address communication barriers. Tools that use emojis, icons, or visual mood indicators can help users express their mental state, especially when language falls short. By making self-reporting more intuitive, we can help people articulate what they feel and ensure that support reaches them sooner.
The future of mental healthcare lies in closing the gap between what is needed and what is available across detection, prevention, intervention, and therapy. Artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and remote diagnostics can support healthcare professionals in identifying patterns and prioritizing high-risk individuals, while digital counselling platforms can make therapy more affordable and scalable.
South Africa’s mental health crisis is multifaceted, and it demands collaboration across sectors – public health, technology, education, and policy. The private sector in collaboration with innovative SMME (specifically tech start-ups), has a crucial role to play in driving innovation that is both human-centred and data-informed.
Digital transformation is not a replacement for empathy; it is a vehicle to extend it. When thoughtfully applied, it allows every South African, regardless of location or language, to access care, regain balance, and move toward that state of “internal equilibrium” that defines true mental health.
As we close this month of awareness, let us open a new chapter of action where technology, compassion, and innovation converge to heal minds, empower communities, and restore hope.
Dr. Litha Fatsha, is an Advanced Specialist: Health Facility Strategy Unit, at Medscheme
