adminBianca Leboho Herald Reporter
Counselling and psychological services are key to fighting the increase in cases of sexual abuse, gender-based violence, child abuse, substance abuse and incidences of HIV infection among the youths, officials have said.Speaking at a graduation ceremony of 138 counsellors at Connect Zimbabwe Institute of Systematic Therapy (CZIST) at the weekend, CZIST director Mr Dennis Mudede said the clientele frequenting the institution’s therapy rooms pointed to an “alarming” rise in cases of sexual abuse, incidences of HIV infections among the youths, depression and other numerous triggers of stress.
“As an institution, we urge networks that include the health sector, welfare departments in organisations, churches and individuals to continue referring their significant other cases to institutions which offer counselling services.”
Mr Mudede said statistics showed that a large composition of patients in hospitals were admitted because of mental problems, which included depression, stress and physical illnesses that were triggered by these mental conditions. He said that engaging vulnerable men to seek counselling services proved difficult due to some cultures that discouraged them from doing so.
“Government needs to take the need for mental wellness and counselling services for vulnerable people seriously, and therefore increase the rate at which counsellors are trained in the nation,” he said.
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