(Photo: Dr Tierney and Dr Loode meet with Acting Secretary of Health Mr Alois Pukienei in Buka)

We are proud to share that PaCSIA has commenced a new program to support the implementation of the 2019 Mental Health Policy of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG).

After extensive consultations with the Departments of Health, Independence Mission Implementation, Veterans, Education, Law and Justice and Community Development as well as important civil society organisations including the Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation, Bougainville Women’s Federation, Haku Women’s Collective, Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency and the Bougainville Churches, PaCSIA has secured funding from Bread for the World, the German Protestant Development Agency, to implement the first of 3 stages to build mental health capacity as per the Bougainville Mental Health Policy. The program will be developed in partnership with the above government and civil society organisations and will be grounded in Bougainvillean experiences and custom and draw on international best practice on mental health education in post-conflict situations.

The first phase of our work aims to develop and implement the community education program through PaCSIA’s network of Bougainvillean facilitators and leading civil society organisations. The education materials developed will be widely shared across Bougainville with the aim of making them available through health centres and schools. The program aims to support improved mental health among all Bougainvilleans generally and with a special focus on young people, ex-combatants and families. The program is led by the ABG Department of Health and guided by a cross-sector steering group involving government and civil society. Dr David Tierney and Dr Serge Loode from PaCSIA have recently returned from Bougainville where they have conducted the initial planning and consultation meetings. They will return to Bougainville in May 2026 to co-design the community education program together with local experts and stakeholders. PaCSIA is firmly committed to a relational partnership approach and a methodology of participatory action learning that draws on the expertise of local Bougainvillean mental health experts and peacebuilders.

2 Sr Lorraine Garasu from the Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation shares her views on the BMHP

The aims of the BMHP Community Education Program are to:

• Destigmatize mental health (in the context of traditional beliefs that mental health is associated with being possessed by evil spirits which can attract a range of aberrant reactions).
• Improve understanding about good mental health self-care and strategies to support this.
• Increase awareness and knowledge of mental health. Improve understanding of the signs and symptoms that would indicate the need for a referral to assessment/treatment, and procedures for those who need quick access for emergency care.
• Create more support for those with mental health problems and their families.

We are extremely proud that this new initiative builds on a more than a decade of collaboration and partnership in Bougainville and addresses one of the key missing pieces in Bougainville’s successful peace process. The program is a first of its kind in Papua New Guinea and we hope that lessons will be shared across the country and with other Pacific Nations. PaCSIA is honoured to be engaged for this initiative by our Bougainvillean partners and to be supported by funding from Bread for the World and the German Government for.

The Bougainville Mental Health Community Education Program is the first stage of a three-stage approach to establish a comprehensive community-based mental health support system in Bougainville. The Bougainville Mental Health Policy, approved by the Bougainville Executive Council in 2019, proposes a unique Bougainville approach to building mental health capacity through: (1) community mental health education; (2) building capacity to provide evidence-based counselling; and (3) building capacity to provide evidence-based treatment for those with serious mental health conditions.

PaCSIA is committed to long-term engagement to support this strategy that will support Bougainville’s ongoing peace process and its 2052 Vision to build a high income, educated, healthy, peaceful” Christian nation.
 

3 Meeting with BMHP Community Counsellors Ms Doloritha Lula and Mr Francis Semei