In actual sense the world is not going through an economic recession but rather a broken natural ecosystem that is self-sufficient, creative, and evolving.
Technology - with its great intentions - has misplaced the role of the Human Race in its control of the sparse. Many people lack visibility of purpose and direction which is the essence of exercising the human brain to have control of their social and economic environment. This has naturally led to the discourse of a natural phenomenon leading to confusion, emotional frustration, anger, and all negative traits to quick wins for survival. Social systems set the motion for cultural values by nurturing humanity’s evolution. Early learning is designed to be borne by the ecosystem. A hen teaches her chicks by feeding and then later teaches them how to fend for self-using craws. It is not patterned to learn from another specie or technology. When technology feeds the chicken, there’s an upset of natural systems and growth patterns. A technologically fed chicken cannot give the full naturally designed nutrients to humanity because it has missed a natural sequence in the ecosystem and hence obtains a short shelf life of fulfilling its purpose. It’s a weakling, sensitive to bacteria and any change in the ecosystem will make it vulnerable to fatalities.
Likewise, a human being nurtured from childhood into manhood with a place of purpose through creativity can subsequently multiply itself to leave a legacy of a strong world. Good nurturing fosters life that gives itself for the good of others and consequently appraisal of the individual pride in self. When humanity fails to evolve into purpose, its sense of living is jeopardized. The result is that man looks to external influences for a sense of gratification like demeaning others, false gains, intoxication, dehumanization, and approval dependency syndromes… leading to mental delusion and ill health. Is it wrong for technology to replace humanity? Perhaps not. However, there is a dire need to pay very close attention to the transition process which has pre-disposed the role of human ecosystems. Our mindset preparation is key to a healthy adaptation. The new era of technology - especially in Africa - has not provided us the opportunity to prepare and transition within our ecosystem and set the system to rehabilitate potential damage. As Wellness Consultant, I come across clients in high-performance entities like banks, telecommunication companies, and so on whose lives are oftentimes worn out, mentally exhausted, and at risk of a mental breakdown because of the high rate of technological change that has taken off in the past two years without orientation and transition plans in place. With less human contact and increasing technology interfaces, the human ecosystem has been breached causing mental illusions. Research shows that 1 in 5 people suffer mental disorder and every person with a mental disorder has an 80% chance of suffering a chronic condition. A human mind functions and processes in a progressive manner with consideration to the social cultural, economic, and technological environment one is building upon. Our failure to prepare the population poses a threat to distorted minds.
The Risk
With Africa’s positioning as a wealthy site for global natural resources, we are at risk of losing potential human capital due to mental distress. Africa’s quick wins in fostering economic growth largely rest in our ability to harness human capital for execution at minimal cost for great returns on investment. The increasing burden of mental health on human capital poses a risk to our ability to gain control of African wealth through wealthy creative minds. Uganda for example has a risk of mental health challenges soaring high at about 30% among youth of employable age. Youth in Uganda forms 70% of the country’s population (50m). According to the Systematic review by Opio et al, 2021 23% of children have mental disorders, 14% suffer anxiety disorders and 22% are diagnosed with depressive disorders. Half (1/2) of the first presenting cases in the National Psychiatric Hospital were diagnosed with psychotic disorders and two-thirds (2/3) first timer presenting with Schizophrenia. 85% of people with mental disorders have no access mental health facilities. This means that Uganda’s employable population is at risk of mental health impairment, thus affecting innovation, creativity, and production. If mental health is not well managed, we risk our potential for employable human capital thus impairing economic development with a lifetime-dependent population.
The Opportunity
Minet Uganda - through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - is positioned to avert the risk by mitigating potential damage to the working population by providing psycho-social services to reverse, rehabilitate and empower individuals. Employee wellness is no longer a luxury but a need as the workforce struggles to adapt to the changing environment. Our vision is to secure Africa’s future as a trusted risk advisor. We have partnered with all psycho-social services experts in the country to enrich our quality and volume of support. We use data analytics and applied global solutions with a local understanding of relevant solutions. At Minet Uganda, EAP is not just a business but a practice and culture that has given our team an edge in adapting to new technology with mitigations for potential mental strains. The initiative has won two (2) awards in two consecutive years from the Insurance Regulator and Prudential Employee Awards. We have Africa’s next emerging risk(s) under control if we collaboratively focus on the avert effects of mental health to secure the working think-tank through our relevant solutions. Africa is ready to transition with our deliberate focus on consolidating our resources with our ecosystem in mind.
Helen Mbabazi | Wellness Coordinator - Employee Benefits | Minet Uganda
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