Strengthening Community Mental Health through Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Non-Communicable Diseases
Where: Lusaka Province, Kanyama Level One Hospital and surrounding communities, including Linda Sub-District
WHY:
Access to Health Zambia is committed to improving the wellbeing of women, children, and communities through holistic and integrated healthcare. While maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) services have improved, mental health and Psychosocial support remain underprioritized despite its strong influence on maternal outcomes, child development, and long-term community wellbeing.
In Kanyama, one of Lusaka’s most densely populated and underserved areas, mental health and psychosocial support needs are high and services are overstretched. The Kanyama Hospital Mental Health Department serves over 260 cases each month with limited staff and resources. Maternal mental health challenges such as postpartum depression often go undetected, while people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension face increased risks of depression and anxiety, which negatively affect treatment adherence and quality of life.
This project responds to the urgent need to integrate mental health services into existing MNCH and NCD care, strengthen community-based support systems, reduce stigma, and improve early detection and access to care using digital and community-driven approaches.
FUNDED BY: CMMB and Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH)
PARTNER:
Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH)
WHAT:
This project strengthens mental health care by integrating evidence-based mental health screening, referral, and psychosocial support into MNCH and NCD services at Kanyama Hospital and within surrounding communities. It combines facility-based care, community outreach, and digital health solutions to ensure early identification, referral, and management of common mental health conditions.
Key interventions include:
• Integrating routine mental health screening into MNCH and NCD clinics
• Training healthcare workers to identify and manage common mental health conditions
• Deploying trained community counsellors and faith based leaders to extend services into underserved areas
• Establishing peer support groups for postpartum women and people living with NCDs
• Using digital tools to improve screening, data collection, and follow-up
• Conducting regular community sensitization campaigns to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking
OBJECTIVES:
• Integrate mental health screening and care into MNCH and NCD services at Kanyama Hospital
• Strengthen healthcare worker capacity to identify, manage, and refer mental health conditions
• Expand access to community-based mental health services through trained counsellors
• Improve early detection and management of postpartum depression and common mental health disorders
• Reduce stigma and increase mental health awareness at community level
• Strengthen health system efficiency through digital screening and data management tools
