Friendship Bench Trial Aims to Empower Nurses in Mental Health Care Reform
Initiative Explores Nurse-Led Antidepressant Prescription at Primary Care Level
A groundbreaking mental health initiative in Zimbabwe is exploring the potential of empowering primary care nurses to prescribe antidepressants, which could significantly improve access to mental health treatment nationwide.
Revolutionizing Mental Health Care Access
The Friendship Bench Plus trial and Brushstrokes of Well-being project are spearheading this innovative approach to mental health care. According to project coordinator Dr. Rukudzo Mwamuka, the initiative aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of nurse-led antidepressant prescription at primary health facilities.
“Friendship Bench Trial Plus is a research project that will examine whether it’s effective and feasible for nurses at primary care facilities to prescribe antidepressants, which are essential medications for treating depression,” Dr. Mwamuka explained during the project’s inception meeting in Harare.
National Dialogue on Mental Health Policy
The meeting brought together key stakeholders including nurses, representatives from the Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), and the Ministry of Health and Child Care. This gathering marked the beginning of crucial discussions about aligning healthcare policies with practical needs to improve mental health outcomes.
Dr. Mwamuka highlighted current challenges: “Our prior work shows nurses are ready and believe this approach is acceptable and feasible. However, existing regulations about antidepressant prescriptions aren’t yet aligned, creating barriers for nurses to begin this important work.”
Addressing Policy Barriers
The project aims to create a framework where nurses can safely and legally provide mental health treatment without fear of punitive measures. “Through this inception meeting, we hope to dialogue about aligning policies to enable nurses to help people with depression at primary care level,” Dr. Mwamuka added.
The initiative will engage various community members and stakeholders, including individuals with lived experience of depression, to ensure comprehensive and patient-centered solutions.
Source: 263Chat