Vice President Dr Jane Mayemu Ansah has called on governments and health institutions in Southern Africa to strengthen systems that support the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare workers.
Ansah said healthcare workers face immense pressure from long working hours, limited resources, high patient numbers and the daily trauma associated with fighting diseases.
She was speaking on Thursday when she officially opened the joint Physician Associates Union of Malawi (PAUM) Biannual and second Global Association of Clinical Officer and Physician Associates (GACOPA) Southern Africa Scientific Conference at Kalipano Hotel in Dowa.
The conference, running from October 1 to 3, is being held under the theme, “Transforming Clinical Care through Research, Innovation and Community Engagement whilst Promoting Mental Health amongst Healthcare Workers.”
In her address, Ansah stressed that efforts to improve patient care must also take into account the psychological wellbeing of those providing the services.
“We cannot talk about a healthy society while ignoring the psychological wounds of the people who heal it,” she said.
Burnout, anxiety and depression, according to the Vice President, are among the challenges confronting healthcare professionals who often work in difficult conditions.
Rather than simply praising healthcare workers for their resilience, Ansah urged governments and institutional leaders to establish systems that provide psychosocial support and safe working environments.
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