In Photos: Annual mental health walk happens on Durban beachfront

By
The Daily Vox Team
-

On October 9 – a day before World Mental Health Day – a couple hundred people gathered on the Durban beachfront for the seventh annual KZN Mental Health Advocacy Walk. This was to help destigmatise mental illness and call for improved access to services in KwaZulu Natal. The annual walk was started in 2016 by Professor Suvira Ramlall, a psychiatrist, and Suntosh Pillay, a clinical psychologist, who co-founded the KZN Mental Health Advocacy Group.

All images by Vijay Ramballie.

Over 500 walkers leave Durban’s north beach amphitheatre, the starting point for the seventh annual KZN Mental Health Advocacy Walk
Professor Suvira Ramlall (R) chats to Keith Ruthanum, the deputy director for mental health and substance abuse in KwaZulu-Natal
Psychiatric nurse Wendy Robinson (R), who runs the only support group for people living with schizophrenia in Durban, shares a moment with two volunteers
Walkers filled the Durban promenade as they walked from north to south beach on Sunday, October 9.
Prea Moonsamy, a support group leader from Scottburgh, enjoys a Zumba and dance class with fellow walkers
Tina van der Walt, a mental health support group leader, completed the walk with her four-legged friend
Suntosh Pillay, co-founder of the advocacy walk, speaks to the crowd
Spreading awareness about mental health, prizes were given for the best mental health posters
Volunteers from the KZN office of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG)

All text and images provided by Suntosh Pillay.

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