A stark reality confronts us: six of the ten countries with the highest suicide rates globally are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, across most African regions, mental health receives just 1% of national health budgets. In South Africa, this translates to 23 lives lost to suicide daily – a sobering testament to the mental health crisis unfolding across our continent.

The workplace has emerged as a critical frontier in addressing this challenge. International SOS' Risk Outlook 2025 report reveals that 80% of risk management experts now recognise stress and burnout as material threats to both people and business performance. Increasingly, industry leaders view mental health not as an individual concern, but as an organisational imperative.

This shift is catalysing a fundamental reimagining of workplace health – one that moves beyond compliance checklists towards truly holistic wellbeing. The integration of mental and emotional health with physical wellness, chronic disease management, and preventive care represents the future of organisational resilience. At the centre of this transformation lies the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) function, now being redefined to meet the realities of our time. As mental health challenges intensify and chronic illnesses proliferate, the very definition of "health" in HSE demands reconsideration.

As we are still in the month that highlights Mental Health Awareness, Dr Isaac Akanko, Medical Director, Central Africa at International SOS would appreciate the opportunity to unpack:

  • Mental health trends and prevalent challenges across the African continent
  • Why mental wellbeing has become a strategic business imperative
  • Practical approaches to embedding holistic health within HSE frameworks
  • Evidence-based strategies for fostering mentally healthy workplaces