St John of God Hospitaller Services clinical psychologist Frank Magagula has cited economic hardship and entrenched cultural norms as key drivers of emotional distress in Malawi, leading to a mental health crisis.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday in Mzuzu on the sidelines of an orientation of journalists affiliated to Nyika Media Club, he said the country’s worsening economic conditions were compounding mental health struggles.
attention. | Allan Nyasulu
He said: “Malawi is among the countries lagging behind in mental health. The challenges people face such as poverty, unemployment, food insecurity are pushing more individuals into psychological distress. Unfortunately, we lack the infrastructure, policy attention and social awareness to deal with it.”
Magagula warned that it could take years for the country to reach a point where mental health is meaningfully addressed, unless deep-rooted cultural beliefs and harmful social expectations are confronted.
Commenting on the training, he also raised concern about the emotional toll on reporters who routinely cover trauma but receive little to no psychological support.
Besides ethical mental health reporting, the orientation also emphasised psychological first aid, a basic, life-saving skill Magagula said should be widely taught.
Nyika Media Club vice-chairperson Towera Katswiri echoed the concerns, saying journalists are often perceived as emotionally invincible.
Police data show that 153 people, mostly men, took their own lives in the first three months of 2025, up from 126 during a corresponding period last year.
The majority were aged between 20 and 39, and many faced marital disputes, substance abuse and financial stress but did not seek help.
Further, a recent United Nations report ranked Malawi the fourth least happy country in the world, just above Lebanon, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan.
The survey, produced in partnership with Gallup and the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, cited low social support, poor health outcomes, and limited freedoms as key factors driving unhappiness.
