Global mental health-building capacity and developing links to support postgraduate training in psychiatry in Zambia: Zambia-Ireland Psychiatry Academic Collaboration

This paper outlines the experience of establishing a partnership for clinical services and academic training across two very different countries: Zambia and Ireland. Drawing upon the experience of setting up other similar international partnerships, the process of understanding the two very different cultural and clinical contexts has developed collaboratively over the course of the past 2 years, and has resulted in valuable insights and joint working. In line with local priorities, the Zambian colleagues in the partnership have prioritised the support for postgraduate training in psychiatry to enable the expansion of services, and allow greater population access. In particular, there is evidence of unmet need in the areas of substance use psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry.The collaboration will increase cultural awareness among psychiatrists and trainees in Ireland and deepen their knowledge and understanding of international psychiatry. This programme is mutually beneficial and has the potential to greatly improve relationships between the mental health service providers of the two nations.