Living with psychosis in West and Southeast Africa: SUCCEED Africa’s four-country situation analysis

Abstract

As part of the formative work of the SUCCEED Africa consortium, we followed a participatory process to identify existing gaps and resources needed for the development and implementation of a rights-based intervention for people with lived experience of psychosis in Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. In 2021, we conducted a desk review of published and grey literature on psychosis in the four SUCCEED countries. Using an adapted version of the PRIME situation analysis template, data were extracted across the five domains of the WHO Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Matrix: health, education, livelihoods, social and empowerment. This was supplemented with insights from personal communications with key stakeholders and the lived and professional experiences of team members. Findings indicate that people with lived experience of psychosis have limited access to services and opportunities across the five CBR domains. Participation in social, religious, empowerment and political activities is restricted due to stigma and a lack of advocacy. People with lived experience of psychosis in SUCCEED countries are not generally able to access support in line with essential components of CBR. There is a need for their greater inclusion in policy and advocacy activities.