* We would like to play a part in alleviating the suicide problems, which are associated with mental illnesses
* Over the years, MAHECAS has delivered assistance in healthcare in different forms
By Duncan Mlanjira
As the country is registering an increase in suicides incidences associated with various economic and social issues, Malawi Healthcare Support UK (MAHECAS) intends to focus more on mental health as its main theme for 2023.
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A statement from the charity organisation, managed by Malawians in diaspora, takes cognizance that Malawi is facing a rise in incidences of various mental illnesses, particularly amongst the youth.
Thus MAHECAS — which has over the years been fundraising in the UK to help in the delivery of health services back home — says they would like to play a part in alleviating the suicide problems, which are associated with mental illnesses.
“Over the years, MAHECAS has delivered assistance in healthcare in different forms in almost each and every district in Malawi and for 2023, we intend to focus on mental health,” said the charity’s statement when inviting UK-based Malawians to a gala dinner organised by Malawi Kent Association in collaboration with Essex Malawi Association.
One of the activities at the red carpet dinner on Saturday was a raffle draw as a fundraiser for MAHECAS for its charitable activities, that include the 2023 mental health theme.
The just ended 2022 saw an alarming increase of suicide cases in the country, which — according statistics from the National Police Headquarters — stood at 168 people committing suicide from January to October last year and 58 cases were registered in the month of October alone.
There have also been many other cases reported in the media in the month of November prompting many concerned NGOs and religious leaders to raise awareness of this problem associated with social issues due to lack of guidance.
Just last week, Malawi Girl Guides Association engaged people of Ntchisi District where they made them aware that committing suicide is due to mental health issues — thus they need to seek guidance once they are depressed.
This followed a case of suicide of a 12-year-old boy in Dowa, who hanged himself on Christmas Day after a misunderstanding over household chores with his elder brother — and during their interface session, the Girl Guides leader Schola Kaira emphasized that mental health issues deserve attention as they affect a person’s thinking, emotions and even behaviour.
She had said they decided to raise the mental health awareness in the wake of increasing suicide cases in the country, which — according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), treatment and awareness of mental illnesses can reduce the risk of suicide.
In November, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) launched its first-ever Workplace Mental Wellness Policy — also to address mental health issues that affect employees’ performance and productivity.
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ESCOM engaged the services of St John of God Hospital as consultants in the policy development, whose psychiatrist, Dr Saulos Gondwe said they conducted a baseline study in June 2020 to establish the prevalence of common mental health problems among ESCOM employees.
From a survey they involved some 352 ESCOM employees, St John of God Hospital found that there was a significant association between having a substance use problem and suffering from anxiety and depression and anxiety.
Dr Gondwe added that this “implies that individuals with a substance use problem were more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression”.
Even the clergy followed suit in examining mental health as Blantyre City Presbytery of the CCAP joined efforts for swift action to address the alarming increase of the suicide cases.
Blantyre City Presbytery’s spiritual Ministers underwent special training on mental health to incorporate the alarming subject in their sermons with Presbytery Clerk, Rev Bruno Chipewa saying incorporating the subject in their sermons, the Church will help to “increase public awareness and to promote mental health through positive religious coping, community support and positive beliefs and awareness through our structures”.
He had said: “We believe that well managed religion and spirituality can result into good mental health by means of positive religious coping, mutual understanding, good communication and positive beliefs towards building a better nation.
“Of the many problems citizens may be going through, we believe there is something positive that can be worked on,” Reverend Chipewa had said of the campaign under the theme: ‘Spiritual resilience is a powerful tool in maintaining good mental health’.
Mental health experts in the country continue to call for development of psycho-social support seeking behaviours among people whenever they are stressed rather than committing suicide.
In attendance at the Malawi Kent Association & Essex Malawi Association gala dinner was Malawi High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Thomas Bisika, who applauded the work that the diaspora are doing to uplift their compatriots’ social and economic development.
Malawi High Commissioner to UK, Dr. Thomas Bisika
He also singled out MAHECAS for its continued support towards various health projects in Malawi, saying through its fundraising activities, “MAHECAS has saved lives of many underprivileged Malawians”.
“It’s always a pleasure when I am invited to attend such charity functions because they are always for the good of Malawians,” Bisika said. “As a High Commission, we are there to join hands in order to serve each other in support of the efforts of our government in various sectors.”
Commissioned in 1996, MAHECAS works directly with medical authorities in Malawi to identify medical equipment or services needed for the medical institutions and also works directly with the people on the ground to ensure maximum impact of the assistance provided.
MAHECAS, which has a team of coordinators based in Malawi, has — amongst many projects — assisted with cervical cancer screening for women in Chikwawa District and provided 1,000 CoVID-19 beds and mattresses donated via Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) — which were distributed to the main CoVID-19 treatment centres at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (Queens) in Blantyre, Zomba Central Hospital, Bingu Stadium centre in Lilongwe and Mzuzu Central Hospital. Other beds were given to other hospitals around the country.
It also purchased and provided various CoVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPEs), donated via Society of Medical Doctors to various centres as well as 600 beds and mattresses distributed to all intensive care and high dependency units (ICU and HDU) for district hospitals.
MAHECAS funded the new guardian accommodation facilities built for Mulanje Hospital that included dormitory blocks, kitchen and ablution services — toilets, bath and washing facilities.
Mbulumbuzi Health Centre benefitted with a supply of bicycle ambulances to transport expectant mothers from villages to the health centre while Queens’ dental department was provided with a brand new dental unit to enhance modern dentistry at the hospital — which also provides training for 3rd year dental therapy students.
Ndirande Health Centre was provided with various surgical equipment for the new operating theatre and other equipment for the maternity wards.
According to its website, MAHECAS is charity organisation registered in England and Wales governed by a constitution that is regularly checked and amended when necessary.
Its members — led by an executive committee — work on voluntary basis to minimise overheads and is highly dependent on people’s generosity with their time and resources, with every penny raised going for a good cause in Malawi.
Primarily, MAHECAS operates in England and Wales where it is registered as a charity but efforts are underway to set up chapters in Scotland, the USA and Malawi where it can also fundraise.
They raise funds predominantly through organised events such as dinner dances, food testing fayres, sporting activities like long distance cycling, marathons and big walks, standing orders, donations — amongst others. MAHECAS welcomes its members’ and supporters’ ideas to fundraise for MAHECAS.
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