By MUSONDA MANGILASHI  –
Mental health problems which arise from lack of adequate facilities can have a negative influence on society. 
The manifestation of mental health issues in a society can result in homelessness, poverty, unemployment, lack of safety in homes and negative effects on the local economy.
Such issues may also impact productivity of local businesses; increase the cost of healthcare and impede the abilities of children, men and women, leading to family and community disruption.
For instance, medical experts say mental health problems, such as depression, are among the leading causes of disability worldwide and are a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.
This can be worsened in situations where there are no mental health facilities.
According to the 2021 Mental Health Statistics, mental health and substance use disorders affected 13 per cent of the world’s population.
That number could increase as people around the world face various challenges and try to adjust to a new normal amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In this regard, psychiatric hospitals are essential to providing patients with care that helps them face unseen challenges.
Having access to this type of health treatment means patients who are fighting to take back control of their lives.
For several years, Chainama Hills Hospital in Lusaka has been offering mental health services to an ever growing population in the country.
However, in a bid to decentralise mental health services in various parts of Zambia, the Government decided to construct another psychiatric hospital in Ndola in the Copperbelt region.
But for close to eight years now since construction works at the Ndola’s Psychiatric Hospital commenced, the project is yet to be completed.
Nevertheless, there are renewed hopes under the current UPND administration that the stalled works at the facility are expected to resume following the approval of cost variation by the Ministry of Justice. 
The psychiatric hospital, whose works have stalled, is being constructed under Ndola Teaching Hospital (NTH).
Works at the mental health facility started in 2014.
The hospital is located near the Ndola-Kitwe roundabout, adjacent to the main NTH building.
NTH Acting Senior Medical Superintendent Misa Funjika said the project stalled after discrepancies in the bill of quantity and the size of the building that was noticed, as well as lack of funding. 
Dr Funjika said this when Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo, who was accompanied by Permanent Secretary Augustine Kasongo and Deputy Permanent Secretary Daniel Kamenga, toured the project.
Dr Funjika said NTH sought authority from the Ministry of Justice to approve the change in the contract sum. 
She said funding was being awaited to resume the works.
Dr Funjika said cost of the project, which was estimated at K14 million when it was started in 2014, has now shot up to K18 million due to inflation and increase in prices of building materials. 
She said so far, K11 million has been paid to the contractor for the work already done. 
“The initial contract period was for 70 weeks. So we expected the building to be done by 2016.
However, we have had challenges, among them financial, technical and structure challenges,” Dr Funjika said.
She said there were discrepancies in the bill of quantity and the size of the building that were noticed.
As a result, the contractor started slowing down and with inflation, the cost of the project has now gone up to K18 million.
She said once completed, the hospital would help to address the challenges being faced by psychiatric patients. 
Dr Funjika said the current psychiatric wards at NTH, which has the capacity of 75 patients, are in a deplorable state. 
Mr Matambo said he would engage the line ministry so that work on the mental health facility can be commenced as soon as possible.
The Coppebelt Province minister said the Government is committed to ensure that infrastructure projects, especially in the education and health sector, which have progressed above 80 per cent, are completed. 
“I have been to the current psychiatric hospital and sometimes you would think it is a police cell.
The place where you are taking patients with mental health should be a place where someone should have a relief when they go there,” Mr Matambo said.
He said because the current facilities are not conducive for patients, the earlier the new hospital is finished, the better.
He said he would engage the Ministry of Health and other relevant authorities involved so that the building is completed in good time.
Copperbelt Province Infrastructure Officer Edward Mutale said his office has been assured that the project has been budgeted for this year and that soon, funds would be made available.
“It is the funding that is key here because contractors also go through a lot of challenges concerning the welfare of workers,” he said.
Mr Mutale said if funds are not available, it becomes very challenging for the contractor to keep workers on site.
He said the contractor of the mental health facility has already been advised to be on site since the commencement of the project has been approved.
“We expect the contractor to complete the structure this year,” Mr Mutale said.