Stephen Lawrie, Charlotte Hanlon, Lucinda Manda-Taylor, Martin Knapp, Martyn Pickersgill, Robert C Stewart, Jen Ahrens, Judith Allardyce, Action Amos, Annette Bauer, Erica Breuer, Dennis Chasweka, Kate Chidzalo, Saulos Gondwe, Sumeet Jain, Demoubly Kokota, Kazione Kulisewa, Olive Liwimbi, Angus MacBeth, Thandiwe Mkandawire, Anthony Sefasi, Wakumanya Sibande, Michael Udedi, Eric Umar
Malawi has a population of around 20 million people and is one of the world's most economically deprived nations. Severe mental illness (largely comprising psychoses and severe mood disorders) is managed by a very small number of staff in four tertiary facilities, aided by clinical officers and nurses in general hospitals and clinics. Given these constraints, psychosis is largely undetected and untreated, with a median duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) of around six years. Our aim is to work with people with lived experience (PWLE), caregivers, local communities and health leaders to develop acceptable and sustainable psychosis detection and management systems to increase psychosis awareness, reduce DUP, and to improve the health and lives of people with psychosis in Malawi...
2023: PloS One