Mental Health

Mental Health 

Mental Health is a program within PIH Malawi that was designed to help people cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. 

Mental health is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins individuals and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships, and shape the world we live in.  

Mental health activities at PIH Malawi started in 2007 focusing on the treatment of psychiatric patients identified at the out-patient services, in-patient services, and in the outreach clinics. Currently, PIH Malawi’s Mental Health program provides services in all areas that are points of health care delivery in Neno district including schools and communities.  

The main objective of the program is to provide comprehensive, integrated mental health care services in all health facilities and community-based settings in Neno district. 

In September 2023, for instance, Neno had 816 patients receiving care from skilled mental health experts in all health facilities across the district. These are patients with different conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar, psychosis, schizophrenia, substance use, and epilepsy among others.  

Achieving the Objective 

The mental health program provides comprehensive and integrated mental health care by building the capacity of health workers to effectively and efficiently provide mental health services. The health workers include clinicians, nurses, CHWs, and other stakeholders like traditional leaders, faith leaders, teachers, and police officers who are first responders to mental health problems and emergencies during disasters. By expanding the knowledge and skills of these individuals, the program ensures that mental health support is accessible to a wider population. 

 Another aspect of the program is the integration of mental health in all schools and youth groups in the district. By incorporating mental health education and resources into educational settings, young people are developing a better understanding of mental well-being and access support when needed. 

Promoting community mental health services is also an area of key focus. This involves raising awareness about available resources, reducing stigma around mental health, and encouraging individuals to seek help when necessary. Additionally, ongoing refresher training and mentorship are provided to clinicians and nurses in the district. This ensures that healthcare professionals have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively treat and manage patients with mental health conditions. 

In addition to these proactive measures, the program emphasizes the importance of continuous follow-up with clients. This ensures that individuals receive ongoing support and care, leading to positive reintegration into the community. 

Supporting PIH Malawi’s Staff Wellness program in the area of mental health is another vital aspect of the program. By prioritizing the well-being of our staff, PIH Malawi creates a supportive environment and encourages self-care practices among our team. 

Lastly, the program is prepared to respond to crises by providing psychological first aid. During times of crisis, such as natural disasters or emergencies, mental health support becomes crucial. By offering psychological assistance to the survivors, the program helps individuals cope with the emotional impact of such situations. 

Key Activities 

The mental health program is implementing its activities by focusing on some key areas including: 

• Mental health awareness 
• Assessments of mental health problems 
• Treatment of mental health problems 

            i.)  Pharmacological treatment 

            ii.) Psychological treatment 

• Psychoeducation to patients and guardians 
• Capacity building through training and mentorship. 
• Follow-up visits 
• Organizing district mental health day activities. 

Mental Health on the Ground 

The program uses mental health awareness campaigns through dialogue sessions, training, orientations, radio programs, and public events below: 

• Community mental health dialogue sessions

These are open discussions with community members especially key gatekeepers and other influential youths, men and women in the community. Here, PIH Malawi asks what people know about mental health, identifies the gaps, clears misconceptions/myths, and gives accurate information. This approach is beneficial as the numbers are smaller good for an effective discussion that lasts about 3 hrs. And is logistically friendly yet you reach out to many communities through few members.  

• Mental health training/orientation to stakeholders 

At this point, PIH Malawi gives presentations and open discussions on mental health to stakeholders such as traditional leaders, traditional healers, and faith leaders who are first contacted for help on mental health problems by clients. These people are targeted because they also provide mental health interventions to mental health patients directly or indirectly and at times are the ones who unknowingly promote poor adherence to medications for those already on treatment. This method is preferred because we encourage and build networks and referrals to each other.  

• Radio programs 

These are panel discussions with mental health experts on mental health. Presentation tackles a particular topic or annual event on mental health. The target is the general public and this method reaches many and is repeated to the audience without any distortions.  

• Public events such as district World Mental Health Day commemoration. 

Different strategies and activities are used to spread and promote mental health messages such as presentations, big walks, key speakers, dramas, music, etc. The targeted population is the general public. These activities are done to spell out myths about mental illness, reduce stigma and discrimination. 

Key Achievements of the Program 

• Increase in the number of people who have accessed mental health services since 2011. 
• Publication of studies about Mental Health. Research papers on mental health have been published in reputable international journals. Some of the papers published include studies on paper the IC3D protocol paper, Stigma paper, household depression paper and the Many Voice paper.
• Capacity Building: PIH Malawi has equipped several health workers and first responders with skills and knowledge during emergencies (e.g. Covid-19, Cyclones). The stakeholders were trained in Psychological First Aid (PFA) to help identify survivors who are showing signs of mental illness. 
• PIH Malawi is the first NGO to provide Problem Management Plus (PM+) intervention to depressed clients in Malawi. 

Overall, this comprehensive approach to mental health addresses various aspects, from capacity building to community integration and crisis response. By implementing these strategies, the program aims to create a supportive and accessible mental health system within the district.