Sister Paula Carneiro requests that investment in this field be a “priority” in developing countries
LISBON, May 24, 2023 (Ecclesia) – The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bento Mini Foundation lamented that mental health in developing countries still suffers from “a lot of social stigmas attached to it”, which prevents it from being a “priority”.
“Mental health in these countries is not a priority, it is a difficulty, it is an extra cost and it has a lot of social stigma attached to it,” Sister Paola Carneiro told ECCLESIA.
The Bento Menni Foundation is a social solidarity foundation, under a legal legal form, established by the Province of the Hospitaller Sisters, which is “directly related to mental health”.
Sister Paola Carneiro emphasized that the “main goal” of the organization is to train people in mental health and prevention in the field of mental health and to identify the first signs.
“In training to deal with some inappropriate behavior of those who already have a definite disease,” the person in charge added in an interview with the ECCLESIA programme, broadcast today on RTP2.
One of the foundation’s pillars is “the development of international cooperation” in helping developing countries.
The nun stresses the importance of continuing “more specific and close” action towards people and populations because in these countries mental health is “not a priority”.
Sister Paula Carneiro emphasized that in developing countries, when people have this “unfair and most aggressive behaviour, they don’t go to the hospital, they go to the therapist”.
On the twenty-fifth of May, Africa Day is celebrated, and the Sisters have a presence in Mozambique and Angola, Portuguese-speaking countries.
In these countries, the Sisters of Hospitallers mainly provide “medicines, to people who have a diagnosis of disease”.
The Bento Minnie Foundation Chairman noted that in addition to raising awareness among the population, the nuns will “also go to schools” to educate students so that they do not stigmatize people for “different behaviour”.
In the children’s sector, Sister Paola Carneiro emphasizes that “there are many children with very serious motor problems who need technical assistance”.
The Foundation provides “financial support and technical assistance” in these areas of health.
He added that the paradigm change “goes through a lot of training kids in schools, and it’s a cultural change.”
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