Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
IN a significant move to integrate and scale up mental health services nationwide, the Friendship Bench has officially handed over its mental health programme to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Since 2006, the Friendship Bench has equipped community health workers, including grandmothers, to provide vital psychological support and counseling services to over 600, 000 individuals affected by mental health issues, providing a vital lifeline to those in need.
“Mbare is my community that’s where I live and since 2006 I have been working with the friendship bench giving counseling and psycho social support especially to youngsters affected by drug and substance abuse,” said a community health worker, Gogo Felistas Gasa.
By transferring the Friendship Bench Programme to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the organisation says it aims to ensure sustainable and widespread access to mental health care across the country.
The Journey started in 2006 with 14 grannies now 6 left. These are the pioneers of the bench. The journey started when I lost a patient to suicide. Every suicide is traumatic for any psychiatrist and that was the beginning. Since then we have managed to train over 2, 000 grandmothers who have managed to counsel over 600 000 clients,” said Professor Dixon Chibanda, Friendship Bench founder.
“The transfer of the friendship bench model to the Government of Zimbabwe will ensure that mental health care is easily assessable to Zimbabweans. Today as friendship bench we celebrate the brave move towards sustainability,” Friendship Bench head of programmes, Dr Thandiwe Mashunye.
In a speech read on his behalf by Acting Chief Director Policy and Planning Mr Stephen Banda, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora expressed gratitude to Professor Chibanda and his team for their tireless efforts in developing and sharing the Friendship Bench model.
“Today marks a momentous occasion. Following a 20-year journey, the organisation, together with the MoHCC, has agreed to hand over the model and framework to the Government of Zimbabwe. This is an exciting stage given the context and demand for mental health services at both global and national levels. Nearly a billion people are living with mental disorders globally, and approximately 60% of these disorders are due to depression and anxiety. Zimbabwe is not spared.
“The burden of common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety among primary health care attenders ranges from 20% to 34%. This is also compounded by the drug and substance abuse that is prevalent in the nation. As such, the Government of Zimbabwe, through the MoHCC, recommends the integration of the Friendship Bench at all levels of the psychosocial care cascade in the 10 provinces.
“Focusing primarily on equipping non-professionals such as village health workers, OI counsellors, and other community health workers engaged in delivering health care, the Friendship Bench will, over the next 4 years, hand over to relevant government departments the skills required to deliver the full eight implementation buckets, which include: sensitization, mobilization, training, supervision, provision of therapy, data collection, CKT, and reporting. Overall, a 5-year period is planned for the complete transition of the Friendship Bench to become a program fully integrated into all levels of health services,” he said.
The handover is expected to strengthen mental health care delivery, increase accessibility, and promote a comprehensive approach to addressing the country’s mental health challenges while ensuring sustainability.
