How we work in Malawi
We partner with Ministry of Health to embed community-based depression treatment into public health services.
current partners
- Ministry of Health
Help transform lives and livelihoods through improved mental health and well-being.
Overview
Malawi is pioneering a government-led, community-based scale-up of mental health care through a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Health and StrongMinds. The partnership embeds Interpersonal Group Therapy (IPT-G) directly into primary healthcare. Community health workers — known as Health Surveillance Assistants — are equipped to screen for depression and deliver evidence-based group therapy in rural communities.
Ministry of Health Commitments
Leadership & Policy Ownership
Sets strategy, embeds IPT-G within the national mental health plan, and anchors the partnership in a 2024–2029 MoU with clear roles and capacity-transfer milestones.
Workforce & Infrastructure
Mobilizes Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) to add depression screening and group facilitation to routine duties; designates community venues; ensures facilities receive referrals and offer clinical backup.
Training & Supervision Capacity
Co-facilitates the initial five-day training with StrongMinds, then leads subsequent training cycles via a training-of-trainers (ToT) model; integrates mental health supervision into existing district oversight.
Cultural Adaptation & Community Acceptance
Co-leads curriculum adaptation workshops to reflect local norms and interface with traditional healing practices.
Data & Quality Management
Integrates mental health indicators into district health information systems and convenes monthly data reviews; participates in joint quality assurance (QA) spot checks and supervision rounds.
Referral & Safety Pathways
Maintains clear facility-based referral routes for severe depression and active suicidality to safeguard clinical quality and community trust.
Geographic Staging
Selects and sequences districts (beginning with Mchinji) based on representativeness, HSA coverage, and feasibility for scale.
StrongMinds’ Commitments
Technical Assistance & Model Design
Adapts IPT-G for MOH delivery, including screening, group setup, and six-session cycles.
Training-of-Trainers & Mentorship
Co-leads initial trainings, mentors MOH trainers, and provides job aids.
Quality Assurance
Sets checkpoints and organizes debriefs and supervision tools.
Monitoring & Learning
Provides templates, coaching, and transitions data review to MOH.
Systems Integration
Embeds workflows into MOH systems so mental health is routine care.
Capacity Transfer
Tracks milestones and gradually reduces external support while ensuring quality.