The Acceptability and Feasibility of a Pan-African CBT Association

Dr. Peter Phiri, Visiting Professor in Global Health and Director of Research & Innovation (Interim) at the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, presented findings from the KOLABO Feasibility Project, a WCCBT-sponsored initiative evaluating the readiness to establish a Pan-African CBT Association.

Dr. Phiri began by acknowledging the continent’s urgent mental-health needs: neuropsychiatric disorders account for roughly 19 % of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in Africa, yet more than 75 % of people receive no treatment. Across many nations, mental health receives less than 1 % of national health budgets and suffers from acute workforce shortages.

The KOLABO survey—conducted via Qualtrics—reached more than 780 professionals across Africa and the Global South. Its aims were to:

• Assess interest and feasibility of forming a Pan-African CBT association.
• Map existing CBT activity, training, and research capacity.
• Identify barriers to implementation and collaboration.

Key Findings

• Strong enthusiasm: Over 70 % of respondents supported creating a Pan-African association and were willing to contribute time or expertise.
• Barriers: Limited funding, inconsistent training standards, scarce supervision, and fragmented communication between countries.
• Promise: A growing body of culturally adapted CBT research, successful task-shifting models (e.g., The Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe), and pilot digital interventions across several nations.
• Need for coordination: Multiple parallel initiatives exist but lack a unifying structure—highlighting the value of a regional network.

Dr. Phiri emphasized that while CBT practice in Africa is vibrant, it remains uneven and under-documented. “There’s so much happening—but much of it is invisible,” he noted. “Our challenge is not absence of effort, but absence of coordination.”

The study’s preliminary conclusion: the infrastructure, expertise, and motivation to create a Pan-African CBT Organization already exist; what’s required now is a formal framework for training, accreditation, and sustainability.

“This isn’t about exporting CBT,” Dr. Phiri said. “It’s about co-creating a system that amplifies African voices, cultural contexts, and innovation.”

With KOLABO’s final report due in late 2025, its findings will inform the blueprint for a continent-wide CBT association—advancing WCCBT’s mission of global access to competently delivered, culturally attuned, evidence-based care.