The Challenges in Implementing Task Shifting in Mental Health Service in Zimbabwe

Non-communicable chronic diseases including mental disorders contribute significantly to the world health burden according to World Health Organization (WHO). Common mental disorders, neurological diseases and HIV related mental disorders are under-diagnosed and cause significant morbidity. Mental health has faced the challenge of lack of the necessary cadres such as psychiatrists, primary care physicians that are interested in psychiatry and mental health nurses this has therefore called for a need to develop reintroduce and regularize task shifting especially in mental health spheres. Task shifting has been advocated as the solution to the shortage of manpower. By definition task shifting is the process of sharing tasks from expensive and scarce specialist resources to the available, relatively cheaper staff in order to upscale the programs. Task shifting has been recognized for its ability to access hard to reach communities. The guidelines that include the regulatory framework, ethical processes, training guidelines, prior qualifications of the cadre to be up skilled, issues of fidelity to treatment delivery and remuneration of the cadre need to be developed and implemented.