Church needs to prioritise training on mental health

Source: Church needs to prioritise training on mental health – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY KENNETH NYANGANI
The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishop Conference (ZCBC) has urged churches in the country to prioritise mental health training, psycho-social support and counselling to assist recoveries from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has so far claimed 5 558 people in Zimbabwe since 2020.

In a pastoral letter titled: Subsidising COVID-19, the ZCBC said people in the country need to be assisted to recover from job losses and loss of their loved ones.

The Catholic bishops urged the country to remain vigilant to the continued dangers of COVID-19 as restrictions are being gradually lifted.

“The church needs to prioritise training on mental health, psychosocial support, counselling for all its members. Traditional means of corporate worship and fellowship may have been affected but there should be people equipped in every parish, small Christian communities and guilds to offer a listening and objective ear to the suffering,” the ZCBC letter read.

“One of the consequences of the long COVID-19 pandemic will be to make us re-examine much that we have taken for granted. Slowly, imperceptibly, we are leaving the COVID-19 days behind us and a new reality is being born.”

The bishops said Zimbabwe experienced an unprecedented two year period during which COVID-19 wreaked havoc on all spheres of life.

“Many lives have been lost and some people still have heartaches from not being able to give their loved ones a send-off they desired.”