The alleged murder of an academic at the hands of a close friend is still very much a hot topic. It is still hard to come to grips with what has transpired.

While the police have laid charges, and the justice system will do its job, it is hard not to think of the trauma associated with the tragedy.

There is trauma associated with death. The thoughts and impact of this trauma come under mental health. This is an issue the health system has failed to deal and so has the nation.

There are no suggestions that medical help regarding trauma has been offered to close family members and friends of the victim and alleged assailant.

Not many people realise that mental diseases can be controlled and cured. The common practice is that nothing is done and the person is often left alone to deal with his or her state of mental health.

Early this year, the Ministry of Health said it aimed to enhance its collaboration with mental health service providers Goshen Trust by the proposed employment of certain personnel currently working for the non-governmental organisation.

This confirmation came from Aiono Professor Alec Ekeroma, the Director General of Health, during an exclusive interview with the Samoa Observer newspaper. Now that the budget has been announced and the ministry has received a significant raise in its spending, hopefully, some of this money will go towards that cause.

But more than anything there is a need for awareness so people recognise what mental health is, they will know what mental diseases are and how they can be treated. If people know, then they will seek help.

Employing staff is just a little part of the solution. There is a need to train more mental health experts, nurses and doctors. The medication also needs to be available readily and at subsidised prices.

Before we move any further, let’s look at the past. A report done by the Borgen Project on Samoa and Mental Health said Samoans faced many challenges regarding mental health.

It was noted that due to a lack of financial support, people have had little education about mental illness and how to treat it. This confusion has resulted in misconceptions as to what causes poor mental health.

For many years, people relied on the belief that a demon was responsible for mental illness. This “demon” dictated the person’s actions and feelings about themselves. This belief led to feelings of isolation and misunderstanding among the people. That isolation perpetuates the silence.

The report said that in the 1970s and the early 80s, Samoa experienced an epidemic of suicide. The suicide rates rose sharply, and the mental health of many Samoans worsened.

To combat this, the Government then decided they needed to build a space for people struggling with mental illness. However, they did not have the resources or money to care for these patients.

By 1981, Samoa had the third-highest suicide rate in the world per capita and a better mental health strategy can address this.

In Samoa, someone with mental health illnesses is either ignored or brushed aside by society by saying ‘he has gone nuts’.

Mental health is described as a state of well-being where a person can cope with the normal stresses of life. This state permits productive work output and allows for meaningful contributions to society.

Don’t we want this for Samoa? A more productive society where all aspects of health, mental and physical are looked after.

We all know that different circumstances exist affecting the ability to handle life’s curveballs. These factors may also disrupt daily activities, and the capacity to manage these changes. That is why mental health should be a priority for the health system and the education sector.

Our children are faced with difficulties every day and it has been exacerbated by social media.

When a child is subjected to physical assault, sexual violence, emotional abuse, or neglect while growing up, it can lead to severe mental and emotional distress.

Abuse increases the risk of developing mental disorders like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or personality disorders.

Children who have been abused may eventually deal with alcohol and substance use issues. But beyond mental health challenges, child abuse may also lead to medical complications such as diabetes, stroke, and other forms of heart disease.

Do we as a society recognise this in our children and what is being done to address the issue?

Our society does not identify depression, anxiety and stress as mental health issues when they are.

Samoa needs a robust change in its health service delivery. It should contain measures to deal with mental health issues properly.