Funding to the health sector has been erratic for a string of reasons, including economic. The situation is not getting any better to the extent that some public hospitals now only prescribe medication as their dispensaries have no frequently required basic drugs.

Tamala Chathyoka is a 21-year-old young mother from Mtandiwa village in the area of Chief Nkaya in Balaka district. She has a 5 months old baby boy.

A recent study by Partners In Health has revealed that 25% of a sample of 2,000 patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Neno District are also suffering from depression highlighting the urgent need to integrate mental health services into NCD care.