Counseling crucial in mental health and ART adherence challenges

* There is need to train more in HIV testing services, counselling and psychotherapy challenges

* Since partnering with the DMI St John the Baptist University, progress has been made to improve training courses curriculum

By Steven Mkweteza, Correspondent

Escalating cases of suicide and defaults on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) can be reduced if the country has adequate and well trained counsellors, says Ticia Counselling Centre and DMI St. Johns the Baptist University.

Speaking in Blantyre when her institution held a 4th joint graduation ceremony in partnership with DMI St Johns the Baptist, Ticia Counselling Centre’s chief executive officer, Patricia Singini said there was a need to train more students in HIV testing services, counselling and psychotherapy challenges the country is facing on mental health and ART default rates.

Singini said since her private institution partnered with the DMI St John the Baptist University, they have made progress improving the training courses curriculum.

She said the institute has made it easier for more Malawians to pursue studies and careers in counselling and that the course content has been designed to suit the local environment — making it easier for graduates to easily assimilate into the health sector, most especially on mental health and HIV services.

Among others, Singini highlighted her institutions’ plans to become an university soon to offer degrees and PHDs in various disciplines and bring out efficiency in counselling services.

In his remarks, DMI St Johns the Baptist University’s deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Golden Msilimba advised the graduating students to be flag bearers and endeavor to make a difference.

Msilimba said there was a need to upscale the trainings in other districts so as to cater for the bigger populace, saying: “People need counselling in marriages, financial matters and mental health among others, hence, the need for the graduands to have emphathy and make a difference.”

On the other hand, Msilimba cleared misinformation reports about the DMI St Johns’ accreditation, saying the private institution was still intact despite the recent reports that it has been discredited.

“We want to clarify that the university is a duly accredited institution by the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE),” he said.

President for the graduating cohort, Richard Mughogho said their class was well equipped to go out and change the status quo and called upon the stakeholders to consider scaling up the services to create a room for employment of the graduates.

“Public and private health facilities are facing shortages of staff and poor service delivery, hence the need to employ well-qualified personnel,” Mughogho said.

The ceremony saw a total of 107 graduands awarded with certificates in HTC, counselling and psychotherapy courses.