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.
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)