Saint John of God Center functions as a drop- in centre offering a range of mental services to the community, family and individual.
Outpatient mental health services
Saint John of God Centre in Mzuzu provides out patient services which among others include
- Appropriate assessment, diagnosis and treatment
- Provision of mental health information and education
- Emergency Rapid response to mental health issues
- Home visitation, follow- up and after care services
- Supported Living
- Provision of Prisons Mental Health Services in four (4) prisons of Mzimba, Mzuzu, Nkhatabay and Rumphi in northern region
- Psychosocial Counselling services
- Provision of Ant Retro Viral drug (ART)
- Pastoral care/ spiritual accompaniment
- Liaison, training and support visits to both Government and CHAM health facilities in Northern Malawi
Community mental health outreach services
Saint John of God Hospitaller Services Malawi recognises that mental health services are under developed here in Malawi. This presents a special challenge for people in the hard to reach rural areas. As such the organization enables many of our people in the Northern Malawi access these services through a number of outreach clinics developed in the five districts of the Northern Malawi. Currently there are 23 outreach clinics across the region. These clinics are:
| Number | District | Clinic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mzimba | Elamuleni |
| Doroba | ||
| Dunduzu | ||
| Malivenji | ||
| Matuli | ||
| Sonda | ||
| Chikhwengwe | ||
| Choma | ||
| Ekwendeni | ||
| Mzambazi | ||
| Mpherembe | ||
| Jenda | ||
| 2 | Rumphi | Bolero |
| 3 | Nkhatabay | Usisya |
| Kavuzi | ||
| Chintheche | ||
| Kanduli | ||
| Mzgola | ||
| 4 | Karonga | Lusubilo |
| Saint Annes | ||
| Kasantha | ||
| 5 | Chitipa | Kaseye |
| Wenya |
We utilize existing facilities in partnership with District Health Offices and Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) health centres.
Domiciliary Care
Domiciliary mental health care refers to the delivery of mental health services to clients in their homes for purposes of restoring and maintaining the health; was introduced in 2005 in Mzuzu and Lilongwe in 2013. This service is aimed at improving access to mental health treatment through strengthening of family involvement in the care of the persons with mental health problems. Key to domiciliary mental health care are the following:
- The Community Mental Health Team assesses patients with mental illness in crisis and provides intensive treatment and follow up care in their homes
- The patients who are enrolled in this program are those who are coming from within a radius of 20 Kilometres within the cities of Lilongwe and Mzuzu
- Patients managed through this approach are those assessed not to be a risk of harm to self or the community.
Community Education
Saint John of God Hospitaller Services Malawi is cognizant that mental health problems are associated with a great deal of stigma, as such the organization carries out community education activities to strengthen awareness on mental health and mental illness and the need for family and community involvement in the care and support of individuals experiencing these problems.
- The awareness campaigns are conducted in schools, workplace, market places, antenatal and postnatal units and in various places within the community.
- Utilise both print and electronic media
- The organization has a dedicated radio programme called Moyo Wangwiro with Zodiak Broadcasting Station that airs every Saturday from 9:35 am for 15 minutes. It aims at tackling contemporary mental health issues utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach