Chainama Hills Hospital says it urgently requires financial support to construct a dedicated children’s mental health ward or hospital, similar to centres of excellence such as University Teaching Hospital.

Chainama Hills Hospital, Head of Public Relations Office, George Tafuna, says the hospital currently lacks adequate infrastructure to admit critically ill children.

In an exclusive interview with ZANIS, Dr Tafuna said this situation forces health workers to send some patients back home under the care of relatives, making proper monitoring difficult.

“The development of a specialised children’s facility depends entirely on financial support. Once we secure a cooperating partner, construction can begin immediately,” Dr Takufuba said.

He also raised concern over the state of existing infrastructure at the hospital, describing some parts of the facility as dilapidated and in urgent need of modernisation to improve service delivery and reduce stigma associated with mental health care.

Dr Tafuna disclosed that the hospital is now treating children as young as 10 years old, many of whom are affected by alcohol and substance abuse, trauma within households, and academic-related stress.

He further disclosed that the hospital attends to between 12 and 20 children daily, adding that the number is expected to rise as awareness around mental health improves.

Dr Tafuna also highlighted the need for specialised training, noting that child and adolescent mental health care requires different expertise from adult mental health services.

He has since called on stakeholders, cooperating partners and the general public to prioritise mental health across all sectors, warning that neglecting mental health issues could have long-term social consequences.