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)