How Zimbabwe's grandmothers are turning the tide on mental health
When the African country couldn't afford a clinical diagnosis network for mental health, 400 grandmothers and a system of 'Friendship Benches' came in.
Dr Dixon Chibanda is Wellcome researcher and DELTAS Africa awardee at the University of Zimbabwe. Dr. Chibanda's current interests include community mental health with a focus on task shifting and integration of mental health in existing public health programmes such as the PMTCT, immunisation and HIV/AIDS programmes. Developing, testing and validating alternative interventions based on neuroplasticity such as neurofeedback and Balavisx and the use of these alternative interventions to address mental, neurological and substance use disorders.
When the African country couldn't afford a clinical diagnosis network for mental health, 400 grandmothers and a system of 'Friendship Benches' came in.
A key question for low and middle income countries is how to provide support for people suffering from mental ill health when resources are scarce.