University of Cape Town

Dennis Chasweka is an AMARI MPhil fellow from Lilongwe, Malawi, who is registered with University of Cape Town. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience from St. Lawrence University, NY, USA in 2012. He returned to Malawi soon after graduation to work with the US Embassy Public Affairs section in Lilongwe as a youth coordinator for five months, before joining College of Medicine, Blantyre as a research coordinator for the Scotland Malawi Mental Health Education Project (SMMHEP) under the Mental Health Department. He also worked as national coordinator for Mental Health Users and Carers Association of Malawi (MeHUCA), a patient advocacy organization whose aims are to fight against discrimination, raise mental health awareness and promoting welfare of people who previously suffered mental health disorders. Currently, he works as special projects lead coordinator for Partners in Hope-EQUIP on a USAID-funded project to strengthen HIV systems in 98 facilities across Malawi.

Dennis’s main research interests are in HIV and mental health in Malawi, particularly focusing on how mental health impacts HIV outcomes like adherence and viral suppression. His thesis for the AMARI fellowship investigates the relationship between common mental disorders (Depression, Alcohol use disorder and Anxiety), medication adherence and viral suppression among people living with HIV attending ART facilities in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Supervisors:

A/Prof Katherine Sorsdahl, University of Cape Town

Dr Claire van Der Westhuizen, University of Cape Town