From Zimbabwe to the World: the next generation of African mental health research leaders

In March, King’s College London brought together a panel of global mental health experts to explore some of the innovative approaches to mental health challenges across Sub-Saharan Africa. The discussions showcased some of the pioneering work led by research partners in Africa and the power of international collaboration in developing solutions to mental health challenges in low-resource settings around the world.

The burden of mental illness is felt profoundly in communities with limited access to mental health support. For example, as of April 2024, Zimbabwe has only 18 psychiatrists for a population of 17 million, while Ethiopia has 110 psychiatrists for a population of 112 million. Zimbabwe also records consistently high rates of suicide (23.6 per 100,000), exceeding Sub-Saharan averages, while mental health receives just 0.42% of the total healthcare budget.