By Saio Marrah
Research conducted by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) between 14 and 17 June this year, has indicated that political tensions in Sierra Leone have led to an increase in hypertension and other related diseases.
The mixed method research according to the researchers was conducted by surveying of 1,000 Sierra Leoneans from all five provincial headquarters on the current political climate and its potential effects on the respondents’ wellbeing.
It also looked at the archival data on hypertension screening and admissions to health facilities across the country throughout 2023, six months before and six months after the county’s multitier elections and the study also provided external verification of citizens' health issues outside of the survey data.
Of the 50/50 gender split survey, 53 percent believed that politics becomes more toxic a year after the hotly contested June 2023 election, while 60 percent said their stress had increased, with one third representing 29 percent attributing politics as a source of chronic stress and restlessness.
According to the report, the archival data on health screening collected by the Ministry of Health in Sierra Leone recorded its highest jump in hypertension cases between May and June 2023, the election months and those figures continue to be above the pre-election levels throughout June to December of 2023.
The report further reveals that the survey came in the wake of a rise in reported hospitalizations from the drug Kush from 47 cases in 2020 to over 1,800 in 2023.
The research indicated that while one cannot attribute drug and substance abuse to politically induced stress, 31percent of respondents reporting politically- induced stress say they consumed what they called medicine while 4 percent took drugs to get relief.
It noted that the effect of politics on health appears to be corroborated by hospital cases.
“Correspondingly, survey respondents noted changes in their physical health and behaviour since the election a year ago. These include greater stress (51%) headache and body aches (40%), fatigue (29%), and seeking more medical care than before (24%). Reported changes in behaviour include, getting angry or frustrated easily (38%), thinking too much about politics (23%) and spending more time on social media reading about politics (20%),” the study further indicated.
It is further observed that in a country where political parties rarely discuss public policy, and opposition parties provide no alternative agendas, ethnic and regional identities are potent forces shaping voting behaviours.
More so, it is indicated that while it would appear that the political tension set in motion immediately after the change of government in 2018 was heightened by the June 2023 elections, it would appear that both the messages as well as the temperament of political leaders are having a strong impact on their supporters.
To authenticate this, the study noted that almost all violent protests ostensibly against the rising cost of living under President Julius Maada Bio occurred in the three opposition-controlled cities surveyed, in Freetown, Makeni and Port Loko, while none occurred in Bo and Kenema, the two ruling party-held cities.
It further highlighted the political tension that was magnified by a coup attempt in November 2023 amid a dire economic situation for a majority of Sierra Leoneans.
It further acknowledged that although the Sierra Leone rebel war ended 22 years ago, there are fears that violence will remain a typical feature in elections and political engagements because social reintegration and psychosocial healing are seen as largely incomplete, and that political parties have yet to fully reform and be more inclusive.
53 percent of the survey respondents believe that politics has become more toxic post- 2023 general elections.
The study further revealed that there was relationship between perceptions about politics’ impact on livelihoods and resources.
It is indicated that people’s stress levels of which 54 percent of respondents aged between 36 and 50 believe their region will lose resources if the party they vote for loses an election appear to experience more stress over politics than others.
“First-time voters between 18 to 25 years (40%) were most likely to say their life and livelihood are negatively affected if their party loses an election’’, it further reveals.
In its recommendation, IGR called on the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to take cognizance of the strong effect of the political environment on patients reporting for screening and provide feedback to patients on moderating attention to party politics.
It also called on the Civic Education Ministry, agencies and CSOs to develop and rollout messages on misconceptions about politics in various demographics and the implications for people’s health and political parties to understand that the current political structures which mobilise citizens on ethno-regional lines are having grave implications on the health and wellbeing of support groups.
Political parties are also urged to take steps to control the negative effects of political rhetoric on the health of support groups and communities.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (21/06/24)
