By Tendai Matunhu
The recent visit by the United Kingdom (UK) based medical health professionals in partnership with Zimbabwe Life Project (ZLP) to work with Zimbabwe mental health professionals in the mental health services is a clear indication that Zimbabwe’s re-engagement mantra continues to bear fruit.
A group comprising of 20 UK-based mixture of Zimbabwe Diaspora and foreign volunteer mental health philanthropists is currently in the country for two weeks to administer mental health treatment in Bulawayo, donate surgical consumables and equipment to hospitals and attend the 2019 Nurses Graduation.
Speaking to the media over the weekend, ZLP team leader Lucia Vambe expressed gratitude towards various Ministries in Zimbabwe that they are working with. She also said they looked forward to a great working relationship with Zimbabwe in the mental health services.
“We are a diaspora group and we are working with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. We are in partnership to support the mental health services. We are so grateful to both ministries because we are learning from Zimbabwe colleagues and we believe that they are learning from us as well.
“We are looking forward to this partnership this week, as we will be sharing learning in Harare and Bulawayo as well,” she said.
Ms Vambe highlighted that her team intended to make a difference to the mental health services in Zimbabwe. She also said they wanted to help establish therapeutic programs that work for mental health patients in Zimbabwe and to help improve patient care.
One of the UK mental health professional said they came to Zimbabwe following the good relationship they continue to have with the Ministry of Health.
She said they hoped to continue with the sustainable relationship partnership they have with Zimbabwe to put together joint work for the improvement of both services in the UK and in Zimbabwe.
The UK mental health professionals aim to support Zimbabwe by sharing knowledge and experiences with their Zimbabwean counterparts.
