A new study within South Sudan’s Ministry of Defence has sounded the alarm over a mental health emergency among the country’s armed forces, revealing that more than 78% of soldiers and veterans are battling mental health challenges ranging from trauma and anxiety to depression.
The shocking figures were disclosed by Dr. Michael Deng Demonychol, a defence psychiatrist, during the launch of the National Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Strategic Plan (2025–2029) in Juba on Friday.
“Our men in uniform are neglected when it comes to mental health,” Dr. Deng warned. “They return home carrying invisible wounds that go untreated for years.”
According to the findings, decades of war exposure, lack of counselling services, and poor reintegration programs have left thousands of soldiers—both serving and retired—struggling in silence.
Many continue to relive battlefield trauma without access to professional help.
Dr. Deng called for the Ministry of Defence to be fully integrated into the new mental health strategy, citing the urgent need for counselling departments and psychosocial support units in military facilities like Giyada Military Hospital.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Health to provide financial and technical support to the Defence Health Directorate, which currently depends on humanitarian groups such as the ICRC to sustain its mental health programs.
“Mental health care for our forces is not a luxury—it is a necessity,” he stressed. “Those who defend this country must also be defended from psychological harm.”
The National Strategic Plan, launched by the Ministry of Health, seeks to expand access to psychosocial support across South Sudan’s 10 states and 3 administrative areas, marking a historic step in tackling one of the country’s least discussed crises—the mental well-being of those who fought to keep it safe.
