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From Zimbabwe to the World: Friendship Bench and the next generation of African mental health research leaders

The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) and King’s Global Health Institute are delighted to welcome Professor Dixon Chibanda, one of the world’s leading global mental health experts, for an inspiring talk and panel discussion on the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI), a transformative programme dedicated to building mental health research capacity across Africa.

The talk will highlight:

The success and global impact of the ⁠Friendship Bench, an innovative, evidence-based intervention created in Zimbabwe.
The collaborative efforts of AMARI, linking African countries and the UK in a two-way exchange of knowledge, capacity building and research.
The importance of international partnerships in advancing mental health solutions for underserved populations.

Following the talk, Professor Chibanda will be joined by global mental health experts, third supervisors to AMARI fellows, and AMARI fellows who will tune in remotely from across Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somaliland, South Africa and Zimbabwe for a panel discussion.

Panel members:

Professor Dixon Chibanda, Psychiatrist and Professor of Psychiatry & Global Mental Health, University of Zimbabwe and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Professor Melanie Abas, Director of King’s Global Health Institute and Professor of Global Mental Health at the IoPPN
Dr Ricardo Twumasi, Lecturer in Psychosis Studies at the IoPPN
Dr Tatiana Salisbury, Reader in Global Mental Health at the IoPPN
Dr Jermaine Dambi (online), Global Mental Health Epidemiologist at University of Zimbabwe
Professor Sally Marlow (Chair), Associate Dean for Impact at the IoPPN

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with leading experts and connect with fellow researchers, academics, clinicians and students passionate about global mental health.

About Professor Dixon Chibanda

Professor Chibanda is a distinguished and trailblazing Psychiatrist and Professor of Psychiatry & Global Mental Health based in Zimbabwe. He is affiliated with the University of Zimbabwe, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the IoPPN at King’s College London. Professor Chibanda’s research is centred on community mental health, with a particular focus on developing interventions delivered by non-professionals to narrow the treatment gap for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders.

As the Founder of the Friendship Bench, Professor Chibanda has revolutionised mental health care in Zimbabwe and beyond, successfully bridging the mental health care gap. This initiative has been replicated in several countries across Africa and beyond, demonstrating its global impact. In recognition of his groundbreaking work, the Friendship Bench was featured at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar as a life-saving mental health innovation.

In 2024, Professor Chibanda was named one of the Top 15 Outstanding Health Champions in Zimbabwe. Additionally, he serves as the Programme Director of the AMARI, a transformative programme dedicated to building mental health research capacity across the continent.

About Professor Melanie Abas

Professor Melanie Abas is a leading Psychiatric Epidemiologist and Professor of Global Mental Health at King’s College London. She is also a Consultant Psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Her research focuses on developing scalable interventions for depression and other mental disorders, especially in low-resource settings, with a focus on task-shifting approaches. She is widely recognised for her work on the Friendship Bench.

Professor Abas is also involved in the AMARI, supporting the development of the next generation of African mental health research leaders. In 2023, she became the Director of the King’s Global Health Institute, further advancing global health research and capacity building.

Her contributions to global mental health have earned her numerous awards, including the Friend of Zimbabwe Award for mental health research in 2019.

Getting here and accessibility

You can find details on getting to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) using this link. The event will be hosted in the IoPPN Main Building (marked ‘A’ on this campus map).

Please find the full building access guide on Access Able.

More information