The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), has launched the FRIENDZ project to improve access to mental health services in the country.
The project aims to scale up the assessment and management of priority mental, neurological, and substance abuse disorders, extending from community to primary and tertiary health care levels in Zimbabwe. The ambitious goal is to reach a total of over one million people by 2025 with quality mental health services.
The FRIENDZ project will be implemented in four provinces, namely, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Harare, and Matabeleland North, over a three-year period. It is part of the Zimbabwe Special Initiative for Mental Health and is implemented in partnership with WHO and Friendship Bench.
“Today marks a significant day for mental health services in Zimbabwe,” said Friendship Bench Director Professor Dixon Chibanda. “The FRIENDZ project will allow us to increase access to community-based mental health services, reaching deep into marginalized communities to serve those who often do not get access to such services.”
The project will enhance access to quality mental health services through improved referral pathways. This will guide individuals through their journey from the community level to PHC, secondary and tertiary levels, and back, creating a seamless mental health network.
The FRIENDZ project is financially supported by Grand Challenges Canada, which has committed USD $820,000. These funds are allocated under the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health, supported by NORAD and USAID, with a total budget of USD 2.1 million.
“Universal Health Coverage cannot be achieved without mental health,” said WHO Zimbabwe Country Representative a.i Professor Jean-Marie Dangou. “Therefore, we are steadfast in our commitment to assist Zimbabwe in fortifying its mental health services.”
After the successful launch, the focus will now shift to capacity building for health workers in the four identified provinces.
