By Rebecca Mumba:
As Malawi commemorates Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month this June, statistics from Zomba Mental Hospital show that men accounted for 80.5 per cent of the 503 admissions recorded between January and March this year.
According to the hospital’s quarterly report, most of the 405 male cases are linked to mental and behavioural disorders associated with cannabis use.
Clinical psychologist Professor Chiwoza Bandawe attributes the high number of mental health cases among men to inability to open up emotionally.
He explains that more men tend to be admitted to mental health facilities compared to women because men tend to hide feelings.
“Men tend to keep things in for long periods of time. They are socialised that way. From an early age, it becomes ingrained in them that asking for help is a sign of weakness.
“As a result, it often takes a long time before they can accept that they have a mental health issue that needs addressing,” Bandawe says.
He adds that many men use alcohol and substances more intensely than women, which can lead to mental health issues.
Bandawe warns that there is a link between untreated mental health conditions and substance use which the men turn to as a way of coping.
“Use of substances makes the matter even worse. This often leads to emergency psychiatric admission, compounded by a range of other issues and challenges that men have kept inside and not expressed,” he says.
Observed every June, the Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month is dedicated to breaking the stigma around men’s emotions, challenging traditional views of masculinity and encouraging men to seek help for issues like depression, anxiety and stress.
Although Malawi’s population comprises more females than males at 51.2% and 48.8%, respectively, the Malawi Police Service (MPS) records more suicide cases among men than women annually.
MPS’s Deputy Director for Community Policing, Superintendent Alexander Ngwala, says in 2024 and 2025, the police recorded 597 and 565 cases of suicide, respectively.
“In 2024, 479 victims were men, 54 were women and 64 were children while in 2025, 434 men, 53 women and 68 children committed suicide,” Ngwala says.
Ngwala concedes that the police have a big challenge to deal with the high prevalence of suicide cases because they mostly emanate from unreported gender based violence against men which leads to depression.
“We have heard of men being beaten by their wives and sustaining injuries. Even emotional abuse –where married men are denied conjugal rights; and economical abuse in terms of being controlled by women on household finances.
“However, the men shun to report to police and other points of service delivery for unknown reasons. We read about it in newspapers. They sometimes commit suicide or react in a different way,” he says.
Ngwala advises that such men ought to present themselves at victim support units because the police provide psychosocial support to such men.
“In dire circumstances, we have a network of partners. For instance, we refer them to social welfare offices, hospitals and other relevant points of service,” he says.
To deal with the mental health challenge affecting Malawian men, Bandawe says there is need for practical interventions.
“Firstly, we really need to educate men and make them aware that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Help is available. They don’t have to go through this alone.
“Secondly, we need men who have been through mental challenges to come forward and speak openly. They are out there. They need not be ashamed,” he says.
Bandawe further says men need support groups where they can hold non-judgmental conversations with one another.
“When men meet, they typically talk about football, politics, women, and that sort of thing. But for matters of the heart, there are seldom places where men can meet and talk.
“So we strongly encourage places like churches, mosques, and different community settings where men can meet and actually discuss their issues,” he says.
