Rethinking Mental Health in Africa: Beyond Labels and Diagnoses

In this episode of the Echoes of Evidence podcast, co-hosts Dr Evelyn Gitau and Lillian Mutengu sit down with Prof Dixon Chibanda, psychiatrist and founder of the Friendship Bench, and Constance Mabia, a passionate mental health advocate, to unpack how we talk about and respond to mental health in Africa.Prof Chibanda challenges conventional approaches to diagnosis, questioning the over-medicalization of human suffering. He calls for a more compassionate, community-centered model—one that values conversation, empathy, and understanding over clinical labels. Constance Mabia brings the lived experience of navigating mental health challenges in African contexts, highlighting the power of dialogue, connection, and culturally grounded care.