Online Reporter
Lloyd Makonya
Correspondent
A NEW survey reveals that nearly eight in 10 Zimbabwean men and seven in 10 women with symptoms of anxiety or depression never seek professional help, raising urgent questions about access to mental health care.
Mental health challenges are increasingly becoming a silent public health crisis in Zimbabwe. While many people continue to carry the weight of anxiety, depression, financial stress, grief and trauma behind closed doors, a new national survey suggests that very few are reaching out for professional help.
The Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) 2023–24 has revealed what mental health practitioners have long suspected that the majority of Zimbabweans experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression are not accessing mental health services.
According to the ZDHS, 13,5 percent of women and 9,1 percent of men aged between 15 and 49 reported symptoms consistent with anxiety.
Symptoms of depression were reported by 3,7 percent of women and 2,5 percent of men.
Perhaps even more concerning is that 1,9 percent of women and 0,9 percent of men admitted they often or always felt they would be better off dead or had thoughts of hurting themselves.
However, experts say the most alarming statistic is not how many people experience mental health symptoms, it is how few seek help.
Among respondents who reported anxiety or depression symptoms during the two weeks preceding the survey, only 30,1 percent of women had ever sought help, and only 17,9 percent of men had ever sought help.
This means nearly seven out of every 10 women and eight out of every 10 men experiencing symptoms had never sought professional assistance.
Medical doctor and health data scientist, Dr Admore Jokwiro, commenting on the survey findings, said these figures represent real people quietly struggling through daily life.
He warns that mental health care should not only begin once someone reaches breaking point.
“Mental health care should not begin only when someone breaks down. It should begin when someone first starts struggling.”
Dr Jokwiro believes Zimbabwe needs to normalise routine mental health screening using internationally recognised assessment tools such as the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression and suicide-risk assessments. He argues that these screenings should become part of primary health care, workplace wellness programmes, chronic disease management, community outreach initiatives and telehealth services.
The survey also reveals that very few Zimbabweans have ever received a formal mental health diagnosis with only 1,2 percent of women and 1,1 percent of men had ever been diagnosed with anxiety by a healthcare professional.1,7 percent of women and 1,3 percent of men had ever been diagnosed with depression.
These figures suggest that thousands of people may be living with untreated mental health conditions without ever entering the healthcare system.
Mental health professionals say one reason many Zimbabweans do not seek help is that they mistake anxiety and depression for ordinary stress. While everyone experiences occasional worry or sadness, persistent symptoms lasting for weeks and interfering with work, family life or school may indicate a treatable mental health condition
Consultant psychiatrist, Dr Rukudzo Mwamuka, agrees that community education is important, but said awareness by itself will not close Zimbabwe’s mental health treatment gap.
“It is sad the mental health treatment gap has been this big for many years now in Zimbabwe. I definitely agree that raising mental health awareness in communities and increasing screening efforts will contribute to narrowing of this gap.”
However, she cautions that the country’s health system must also become more accessible.
“If we do not address systemic barriers to access to affordable mental health care, this gap will remain huge.”
Zimbabwe has made notable progress in recognising mental health as a public health priority, but the ZDHS findings demonstrate that significant gaps remain between those who need care and those who receive it.
