Noncommunicable Diseases

Mental illness is the largest contributor to disability worldwide. By 2030 depressive diseases are projected to be the leading global burden of disease. 75% of the 450 million mentally ill people are in the developing world where a devastating link between mental illness and poverty has long been ignored and a treatment gap of 85% exists. Yet mental health remains acutely under-resourced. These innovators will replicate the The BasicNeeds Model for Mental Health and Development in Ghana via an innovative social franchise.

This project aims to deliver mobile-based services for some common mental disorders among tribal populations in Andhra Pradesh, India, empowering primary healthcare workers to identify and provide basic evidence-based mental health care to disadvantaged communities where almost no such services exist today.

Traditional Healers, the oxen of the land!

Due to cultural beliefs and lack of rural medical services, over 60% of Tanzanians seek mental care from widely accessible traditional healers who tend to treat the spiritual causes of psychosis – an easily recognizable and prevalent condition. Without integrated systems of care, biological symptoms of psychosis may go untreated and reach chronic stages, leading to severe, long-term disability.

Our project, ""Defeating the Giant with a slingshot: Testing a new technology to fight the global trauma epidemic,"will be carried out in collaboration between the Douglas Mental Health University Institute (Montreal, Canada) and the non-governmental organization Center for Victims of Torture (Kathmandu, Nepal). Currently, there exists no inexpensive and culturally appropriate treatment for people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in low- and middle-income countries.

This project aims to use mobile phones and radio immediately after major crises to train and mobilize the general public to provide Psychological First Aid to affected people. This novel approach can massively outperform conventional approaches in terms of cost, speed and targeted coverage, empowering the general public near a crisis event to deliver support on a major scale.

24 million people in Indonesia (10% of the total population) is above 60 years of age and at risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Public awareness and understanding about AD is low. A fundamental lack geriatricians and decent elderly care further aggravate the threat of the disease.   OnTrackMedia Indonesia (OTMI) will launch an integrated awareness campaign on Alzheimer’s disease sensitizing the public with key messages through social and conventional media, learning activities with experts and experienced caregivers, and media engagement.

Nodding syndrome has affected thousands of children and adolescents in northern Uganda and other situations of adversity. Associated mental health problems increase the burden of living with the illness for both patients and their families. This intervention aims at improving family based care and overall health for the affected communities.

In developing countries, more than 200 million children under five years fail to reach their developmental and cognitive potential. Early identification and intervention for children at risk of neurodevelopmental impairments can make the difference between lifelong disability and fulfillment of developmental potential. However, access to such care is non-existent in rural communities.

The study will be conducted in Sangath, India. Most children with neuro-developmental disabilities in developing countries have limited access to evidence-based strategies to address their impairments. INFORM will create an mHealth platform, to deliver best practices by community health workers, providing a scalable method to provide care for children with impairments in resource poor settings.