In Mauritania’s only psychiatric ward, patients like 22-year-old Sidi face the challenges of a severely under-resourced system.
With just 20 beds for five million people, families travel long distances for care.
Many patients, like Sidi, arrive only after traditional treatments fail.
His father, Mohamed Lemine, links his struggles to a failed emigration attempt and substance abuse.
Dr. Mohamed Lemine Abeidi stresses the need for more resources, as most patients stay only briefly due to overcrowding.
Outside the ward, families gather, playing a key role in patient care, a cultural hallmark of Mauritania’s approach.
Mauritania’s psychiatry began in the 1970s with tents set up by Dr. Dia Al Housseynou, who still advocates for open spaces over modern, prison-like wards.
Today, violent patients are sometimes restrained with chains, reflecting the system’s ongoing challenges.
Despite small improvements, Mauritania’s mental health system remains a desert for those seeking help.
