A recent publication in The Lancet reveals some cost-effective strategies that could enhance Malawi’s mental health care capacity. The study assessed the economic efficiency of two approaches in training clinic staff for depression screening and treatment.
The initial method, termed the ‘internal champions only’ (IC-only) strategy, involved training clinic staff and providing them with needed resources. The second approach, however, the ‘internal champions plus external supervision’ (IC + ES) strategy, added external supervision and feedback to the first strategy.
Both strategies outperformed the status quo, with the IC + ES strategy, while slightly more expensive, demonstrating greater effectiveness in terms of remission and averted disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs).
Neither strategy proved cost-effective under Malawi’s existing willingness-to-pay threshold. However, the study suggests that the IC + ES strategy could be cost-effective in settings with higher willingness-to-pay thresholds.
The researchers propose that these findings could guide the development of mental health care programs not only in Malawi but also in other low- and middle-income countries.
In Malawi, where approximately 1 in 4 individuals experiences a mental health disorder, challenges such as a shortage of mental health professionals and limited resources hinder effective care. This study provides insights into a cost-effective approach to bolstering mental health care capacity in the country.