Psychotic disorders remain under-researched and under-resourced across Africa, despite evidence that between 1 percent and 4.4 percent of people on the continent may experience psychosis during their lifetime.

While important research efforts into psychosis have been made, these are largely fragmented and disconnected, said Stellenbosch University (SU) Professor Laila Asmal. The recent inaugural meeting of the Africa Psychosis Research Network (APRN), hosted by SU’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), aims to change this.

A total of 35 participants representing South Africa, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, Botswana, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and partner institutions in the United Kingdom, attended the meeting, which took place late last year at SU’s Tygerberg Campus. The group included both researchers and people with lived experience of psychosis.

Psychosis refers to experiences in which a person’s perceptions, thoughts, or understanding of the world shift in a way that feel very real to them, such as hearing voices or holding beliefs not shared by others. Psychosis is treatable, and many people recover with appropriate support.

“Currently, there is no dedicated, inclusive, Africa-led platform to coordinate efforts, foster collaboration, and advocate for sustainable research funding in this field,” said Asmal, who is also a psychiatrist at Tygerberg Hospital. 

She noted that the successful meeting marked the first continent-wide gathering focused specifically on strengthening psychosis research collaboration in Africa. The APRN aims to work towards a shared vision for psychosis research on the continent that is “collaborative, sustainable and impactful.”

Participants shared and discussed current research and innovations, while also exploring opportunities for collaboration.

Asmal said delegates also held discussions on how to lay the groundwork for a sustainable research network that places the priorities of people with lived experience of psychosis at its centre.

“We’re committed to meaningful and inclusive dialogue that brings together multiple perspectives, from biomedical to social and cultural, and ensures that the expertise, dignity, and humanity of people with lived experience of psychosis remains central to everything we do,” Asmal said.

She added that the meeting was designed around what delegates identified as important for building relationships across the continent and learning from one another.

“We reached a shared commitment to establishing APRN as a long-term, credible, inclusive, and collaborative African network for psychosis research, grounded in Africentric values and collaborative decision-making. There was consensus that foundational work is essential to ensure the network is built on trust, shared purpose, and sustainability.”

The group agreed on four foundational working groups to guide the next phase of development:

• Values and Principles will develop a mission, vision, and shared ethical framework;
• Structure & Governance will design an inclusive and sustainable organisational model;
• Sustaining Connection will create ongoing channels for knowledge exchange, such as newsletters and online platforms;
• Planning will work toward organising a 2026 APRN meeting.