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�����Kolabo �Collaborative Mental Health Education in Tanzania�These slides were generously donated to the SOPHEA project by��Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences and the University of Calgary

Megan and Mwita

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You may use these slides under the following Creative Commons license:

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Objectives

  1. To explain the concept of global mental health and explore the burden of mental illness globally
  2. To describe the Kolabo project

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Global Mental Health

Global Mental Health applies the principles of global health within the domain of mental health; and is not limited to cultural psychiatry or international psychiatry2

Aims to improve treatments, increase access to services, and reduce human rights abuses of people experiencing mental disorders2

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So then, why is it important?

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WHO: World Mental Health Report (2022)

  • Mental health is determined by an interplay of individual, social, and structural stresses + vulnerabilities1
  • In all countries, metal disorders are highly prevalent and largely under treated1
  • Mental disorders are the leading cause of years lived with disability and suicide remains a major cause of death globally, accounting for 1 in 100 deaths1

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Inequity in the distribution of skilled human resources for mental health.

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Burden of Mental Illness

  • People with severe mental health conditions die 10-20 years earlier than the general population. 1
  • The economic consequences of mental health conditions are enormous with productivity losses significantly outstripped the direct costs of care1
  • Several factors stop people from seeking help for mental health conditions, including limited access to quality services, low levels of health literacy + pervasive stigma1

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There is a large gap

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Mind the Gap

  • >75% of persons with serious anxiety, mood, impulse control or substance use disorders in Low and middle income countries RECEIVE NO CARE at all3
  • In sub-Saharan Africa OVER 90% with schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis are UNTREATED3

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Lack of resources including:

    • Human - services cannot be delivered without sufficient number of adequately trained specialist and non-specialist health care workers4
    • Financial - systems cannot be improved, developed or expanded without increased finances4
    • Technical - needed for program monitoring and evaluation, ensuring adequate and consistent supplies of medications and maintaining records4

Mind the Gap

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Benefits of Change

  • Investing in mental health can greatly reduce suffering and advance public health1
  • Transformation in mental health is needed to stop human rights violations that people with mental health conditions experience 1
  • Scaling up treatment for depression and anxiety provides a benefit-cost ratio of 5:1
  • Improving mental health improves educational outcomes, participation in the workforce, boosts productivity, strengthens social functioning to the benefit of all 1

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All countries need to expand their specialist workforce and build mental health care competencies among general health care and community providers, as well as individuals in the community. 1

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Our Story

Kolabo = Collaboration in Swahili

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Timeline

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Electives

Needs

Assessment

Intervention

Medical & MPH

Students

Tanzania

Resident

Visitor

2013 & 2014

2015

2016

2017

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Timeline

2018

2020

Virtual Curriculum

During the Pandemic

Dr. Mwita joins

CUHAS UME

Residency Program

to begin at CUHAS

2023

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  • Mission: To build healthier communities by creating collaborative, broad-based mental health education for health trainees in Mwanza, Tanzania
  • Vision: Collaboration through education to create a world where all people can experience optimal mental health
  • Expenses: all money raised is used to fund a mixture of travel expenses, project materials, research supplies and a scholarship for the training of local psychiatrists. No participants are paid for their time involved in the project.

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The Kolabo Project

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  • The burden of global mental health is huge
  • It impacts people in both high income and low income countries
  • There is a need for further training of health care workers in mental health

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Summary

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  • Creating a residency program
  • Building allied health staff
  • Continuing to modify the UME curriculum

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Next Steps

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Thank-You

More information: http://www.ucalgary.ca/ghealth/projects

Donate: https://netcommunity.ucalgary.ca/globalmentalhealthproject

Email: kolabo@gmail.com

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References

1. WHO - World Mental Health Report: Transforming Mental Health for All (2022)

2. Patel V & Prince M. (2010). Global mental health: a new global health field comes of age. JAMA, 303, 1976-1977.

3. Kastrup, M. & Ramos, A. (2007). Global Mental Health. Danish Medical Bulletin, 54(1), 42-43.

4. Prince M, Patel V, Saxena S, et al. (2007). No health without mental health. Lancet, 370 , 859-877.