Professor Petrus de Vries, Director of the Adolescent Health Research Unit (AHRU) and the Centre for Autism Research in Africa (CARA), recently highlighted the importance of mental health and access to mental healthcare of young people during a recent interview on Cape Talk's The Koketso Sachane Show.

Some of the key points highlighted by Prof de Vries was the importance that we, as South Africans, all have our own beliefs about the causes of mental health. He acknowledges, however, that we need to find appropriate and innovative ways of educating people in our communities about mental health and where to seek support. This emphasises the importance of mental health literacy, and the need in our communities.

Prof de Vries has further highlighted that one in five young people would have experienced some mental health difficulty at some point. This urges the need for early identification and treatment to address the treatment gap of mental healthcare services. To listen to the interview between Melane Rice and Prof Petrus de Vries on Cape Talk, simply click here