History of Psychiatry in Zambia

HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY IN ZAMBIA

During the colonial times, Male psychiatric patients were looked after in prisons, while female patients were admitted to Mental Annexes in General hospitals like Livingstone, Kasama, Ndola and Mansa. These Annexes and prisons were very dirty and unfit for human habitation. Some patients were transferred to Southern Rhodesia now Zimbambwe to a hospital called ingutsheni. Ingutsheni Hospital was so congested that patients received poor psychiatric care services. In 1957, Sir Steward Gobrown, MP of Shiwang’andu suggested that patients in Ingutsheni be brought back home, a psychiatric hospital be built at Chinama and qualified human resource be recruited from England, these should be catholic sisters and brothers.

In June 1962, the main mental hospital (Chainama Hills Hospital) was opened, which provided guidance on mental health policy issues until 1974 when the Ministry of Health took over.

The training of Medical Assistants Psychiatry (Clinical Officers) started in 1964, while the training of Enrolled Psychiatric Nurses started in 1966 and in 1968 Chainama East Forensic block was opened with 168 beds.

In 1970 children’s day centre was built by Jaycees and the bus was provided by the Lion’s club for the disabled children.

In 1989 enrolled psychiatric nursing was phased out. In September 1991 the first intake of registered mental health nurses was commenced with 20 students. It was a post basic programme with eighteen-month duration. All 20 students qualified and were sent in provincial annexes. Mrs Ikafa and Hellen Blackburn started the programme.

With the introduction of the primary health care programme in 1981, the structure of mental health services was established from the village, health center, district, provincial and specialized levels. However, there were gaps in service provision. For instance, during the implementation of Community Mental Health Services, some members of staff were not willing to participate in the programmes because they believed that their role was to work at the hospital level. In addition, although community mental health services were introduced, they could not be sustained due to financial constraints.

In order to address the challenges posed by mental health problems and mental disorders, an explicit sectoral guidance and policy framework for implementing mental health interventions was developed.

Good Luck!!!