“We Need This Bill, For God’s Sake”: NAM Demands Mental Health Reform
Hon Bah of Banjul North Advocates for Mental Health Reform © The Gambia’s National Assembly
By Edward Francis Dalliah
In a passionate plea during the National Assembly’s concluding adjournment debate on Friday, 28th March 2025, Member for Banjul North, Hon. Momodou Lamin B. Bah, called for swift action to replace the outdated Lunatic Detention Act. “We need this bill, for God’s sake,” he declared in Parliament, describing mental health as the “cornerstone” of national development.
As President of the Global Youth Mental Health Forum and a committed advocate for mental health reform, Hon. Bah’s address underscored the urgent need for legislative action to overhaul The Gambia’s antiquated and unjust mental health system.
Currently, mental health in The Gambia is governed by the Lunatic Detention Act, a colonial-era law dating back to 1917 and last amended in 1964, just before the country gained independence. Despite attempts at reform, this antiquated legislation continues to shape how individuals with mental health conditions are treated, with provisions increasingly recognized as inadequate and in violation of human rights protections enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
In his address, Hon. Bah stressed that the revised Mental Health Bill is already updated and ready for review, but has been inexplicably delayed at the Ministry of Health. He urged the ministry to accelerate the process and submit the Bill to the National Assembly, stating emphatically, “We need this bill, for God’s sake. Mental health is the cornerstone of any developing country.” His appeal reflects the critical lack of appropriate legal and medical structures to effectively address mental health challenges in the country.
This continued delay comes at a time when the international community, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), has already condemned The Gambia’s mental health system. In a landmark 2003 ruling, the Commission found that The Gambia’s continued reliance on the Lunatic Detention Act violated several articles of the African Charter, including the rights to dignity, liberty, and a fair trial for individuals with mental health conditions. Yet more than two decades later, little progress has been made in implementing the Commission’s recommendations.
Currently, the Lunatic Detention Act lacks clear definitions of some terms and fails to provide legal protections for individuals with mental health conditions. It also includes no safeguards during diagnosis, certification, or detention. To make matters worse, conditions at the country’s sole psychiatric facility, Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital, are dire, marked by overcrowding, underfunding, and a heavy reliance on international aid for maintenance. These conditions highlight the broader systemic neglect of mental health care in the country.
Our previous publication on mental health noted that in February last year, the outdated Lunatic Detention Act was a central topic during a half-day orientation on mental health legislation for media practitioners, organized by the National Mental Health Program (NMHP). During the session, NMHP Program Manager, Ms. Mam Jarra Marega, highlighted that although the updated Mental Health Bill had already been reviewed by Cabinet and comments were made, it had yet to be tabled in Parliament. Now, over a year later, the Bill remains in limbo, raising serious questions about whether mental health is truly a government priority.
The current state of mental health in The Gambia reflects more than just legislative stagnation. It leaves the country bound to a colonial-era law that fails to protect or support those suffering from mental illness, while also grappling with a poorly resourced rehabilitation center, a shortage of trained mental health professionals, and limited government support.
As the country continues to grapple with these challenges, advocates remain resolute in their pursuit of meaningful change. The voices of individuals like Hon. Bah grow louder, amplifying the pressing question: how long will the government allow the outdated law to govern the lives of those suffering from mental health?
