Close to 20 mental health patients who are currently undergoing treatment were among those who marched during the 61st Independence anniversary.

In a first for the Ministry of Health's Mental Health Unit, the patients who participated in the national celebrations last Thursday represented over a thousand patients currently undergoing physical and oral treatment at the unit who couldn't march.

Head of the Mental Health Unit, Seiulialii Dr. George Tuitama told Samoa Observer that getting their patients to participate in the historic march was a success and would have boosted their spirits, subsequently contributing to their overall progress as mental health patients.

“It was a struggle getting there but everything managed to come through. Some of our patients couldn’t make it because they are still acutely unwell but we managed to bring the patients that really wanted to come,” said Seiulialii. “And I think on that day [last Thursday] a lot of people witnessed that a lot of these people have histories and pasts, where they used to cause havoc and were quite violent and had aggressive tendencies in the past on the streets."

According to Seiulialii, the main thing was they wanted to show their appreciation because they’ve been getting a lot of support, not just from the Government, but also from non-governmental organisations, private organisations and businesses as awareness increased.

“The realisation that it’s not just those that are not mentally unwell that deserve these benefits and we do feel that everyone has an equal right,” he said. “So if we were to be celebrating the independence, the mentally unwell patients also feel the urge to want to participate and have a feel of the fun and significance of the event.

"So that’s when we realised that these guys want to go to town and so thought what’s stopping them. The only thing that was stopping them was the effort of us the carers and supporters and maybe the management and organisation.

“So when we got in that day, there was a team from Utah Valley University, these are art students who came over the experience the Samoan culture and how art has helped in Samoa.”

The Mental Health Unit was also able to the move team from Utah to Goshen Trust and the mental health facility by telling them that art therapy helps a lot of their patients. They assisted by printing the t-shirts for the patients and staff that participated in the parade as well as their banner.

“But that was the main drive behind it, not just us we consider normal, being given the same opportunity but also for anyone that’s sick but is able to celebrate,” Seiulialii said.

And while Seiulialii and his team exercised caution with their patients who had a violent past or committed criminal acts, he said everything ran smoothly. One of these patients included Ekuale, who used to be randomly violent in public areas. However, Seiulialii said his mental state has stabilised and he now has a job. 

“Ekuale, everyone knows him as this violent and disrupted person but no one would believe it when I say Ekuale has a job and he works at Frankies picking up rubbish and assisting with their vegetable garden, works there for a few days of the week and comes back.

“His family in Faleasiu is no longer here but his extended family is looking after him. He’s one of our institutionalised patients now that’s living at Goshen and is still undergoing treatment. He’s now talking to the point that you will understand. He may not talk normally as some of his cognitive functions are decreasing but he’s improving.

“There was also another patient from Savai'i whom we’ve heard them mumbling and saying she was the one that was making a lot of noises in Savai'i because some of the patients are from Savai'i. People who remember them as people who committed violence and criminal acts in the past and even to the point where they were discriminated against but they can be treated.”