%0 Journal Article
%T Integrating mental health into primary health care in Zambia: a care provider's perspective
%A Lonia Mwape
%A Alice Sikwese
%A Augustus Kapungwe
%A Jason Mwanza
%A Alan Flisher
%A Crick Lund
%A Sara Cooper
%J International Journal of Mental Health Systems
%D 2010
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1752-4458-4-21
%X The aim of this paper was to explore health providers' views about mental health integration into primary health care.A mixed methods, structured survey was conducted of 111 health service providers in primary health care centres, drawn from one urban setting (Lusaka) and one rural setting (Mumbwa).There is strong support for integrating mental health into primary health care from care providers, as a way of facilitating early detection and intervention for mental health problems. Participants believed that this would contribute to the reduction of stigma and the promotion of human rights for people with mental health problems. However, health providers felt they require basic training in order to enhance their knowledge and skills in providing health care to people with mental health problems.It is recommended that health care providers should be provided with basic training in mental health in order to enhance their knowledge and skills to enable them provide mental health care to patients seeking help at primary health care level.Integrating mental health services into primary health care is critical to improving and promoting the mental health of the population in Zambia.Over the last decade, Zambia has embarked on a radical transformation process aimed at creating a well functioning, cost effective and equitable district-based health care system [1]. Such reforms were in response to the government's growing awareness of the innumerable health challenges afflicting the nation. These reforms were based on a primary health care concept, as it was believed that most diseases in Zambia were either preventable or could be managed at the primary health care level [2]. Thus, primary health care was chosen as a vehicle through which to deliver health services to the population. A number of progressive health laws and regulations were devised, together with the Basic Health Care Package (BHCP). This Package is a set of carefully selected high impact interventions offered
%U http://www.ijmhs.com/content/4/1/21