ZAMBIA THERAPEUTIC ART
  • Home
  • About ZTA
    • Our Work
    • Our Team
    • Context
  • SUPPORT US
  • News
    • Archive
  • Documents
    • Publications
    • Annual Report & Accounts
    • Policies
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About ZTA
    • Our Work
    • Our Team
    • Context
  • SUPPORT US
  • News
    • Archive
  • Documents
    • Publications
    • Annual Report & Accounts
    • Policies
  • Contact Us
Search

CONTEXT

ZAMBIA – THE COUNTRY

  • Completely landlocked, Zambia is located in central southern Africa, between 9o and 17o south of the equator and the climate is tropical with a rainy season.
  • It has an area of 752,618 sq km 
  • The population is 17.4 million 
  • More than 70 languages are spoken amongst more than 20 ethnic groups 
  • 66% of the population are under 24 
  • Life expectancy averages 53 years 
  • HIV rate is 11%, approximately 1.2 million people 
  • GDP $68 billion/$4000 per head 
  • Government expenditure $6.35 billion 
  • 54% of the population live below the poverty line 
  • Health expenditure 5% GDP 

These figures are taken from the World Factbook, a publication of the US Central Intelligence Agency and are were checked in March 2020.

Picture

Picture

Click to see locations of hospitals that work with Zambia Therapeutic Art.

MENTAL HEALTH IN ZAMBIA

  • Mental Health services in Zambia are significantly under-resourced
  • Services are focused on one hospital in Lusaka with some regional services attached to district hospitals
  • There are few community psychiatric services and some areas have no mental health provision at all 
  • A shortage of staff & resources leads to a pharmacological-based approach to treatment
  • High levels of stigma are attached to mental ill health 
  • The UN Sustainable Development Goals 2015 include to “promote mental health & wellbeing” for the first time
  • An aim of the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013-20 is to “provide comprehensive, integrated and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings” ​

See also an article by one of our team, Margarate Munakampe "Strengthening Mental Health Systems in Zambia" - Munakampe Int J Ment Health Syst (2020)

© Zambia Therapeutic Art 2020

  • Home
  • About ZTA
    • Our Work
    • Our Team
    • Context
  • SUPPORT US
  • News
    • Archive
  • Documents
    • Publications
    • Annual Report & Accounts
    • Policies
  • Contact Us