Lutindi Mental Hospital in Tanzania

Lutindi Mental Hospital is located near Korogwe in Tanzania’s Usambara Mountains, positioned between Moshi and Dar es Salaam—about 4 hours by bus from Moshi or 7 hours from Dar es Salaam.

It is widely regarded as one of Tanzania’s highest-standard psychiatric facilities. Unlike other mental hospitals in the country, Lutindi places a strong emphasis on occupational therapy as part of its treatment approach.

The hospital is situated in the Tanga region, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Usambara Mountains and farmland owned by the hospital. It can only be reached by a steep, winding mountain road, around 13 km outside Korogwe. Nearby are three small villages with a combined population of around 3,000, accessible by foot.

The tranquil mountain location, distinct from the bustling city life of Dar es Salaam or Arusha where many patients come from, plays an essential role in the recovery process. The hospital’s goal is to immerse patients—who may struggle with conditions such as substance abuse, psychosis, or schizophrenia—in a structured daily routine of therapeutic, countryside activities. Occupational therapy includes tea farming (harvesting twice weekly, processing, packaging), sisal product manufacturing (such as doormats), carpentry, animal husbandry, cheesemaking, and gardening. The hospital manages its own tea plantation and factory, and it processes sisal fibers to create mats, baskets, and hats. Milk from the farm’s cows is used for cheesemaking, while fruits and vegetables are grown on-site. These products are sold in various outlets, including the Dar es Salaam airport shop and church shops across Europe.

The hospital has a capacity of 120 beds (90 for male and 30 for female patients), drawing patients from across Tanzania. Many are referred by public hospitals, while others are brought directly by family members.

New patients typically spend their first two weeks in a secure inpatient unit for initial medication treatment before transitioning to occupational therapy activities that suit their interests. The average length of stay is two months, with around 450 inpatients treated annually, including repeat patients.

Lutindi Mental Hospital employs two nursing officers, two clinical officers, and two social workers. Most of these professionals are relatively young and joined the team in 2016 after several previous team members retired.

The hospital also runs a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Korogwe, which is frequently visited by former inpatients. Located along one of Tanzania’s major highways, Korogwe is easily accessible by public transport from both Dar es Salaam and Arusha/Moshi. The outpatient clinic operates three days per week, serving approximately 5,000 patients annually.

Additionally, the hospital operates a medical dispensary that serves both hospital patients and residents of neighboring villages. Each year, around 50 births take place at this dispensary.

Participant Roles at Lutindi Mental Hospital

Internships and elective placements are available for students in medicine, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, and social work. Participants shadow professionals in their field of interest and assist with small supervised tasks.

Activities may include:

• Participation in the morning report
• Participation in new admissions
• Daily ward rounds
• Drug management
• Group counseling sessions for drug addiction (3 times per week), led by social workers
• One-on-one counseling (twice per week, led by clinical officers)
• Group counseling for patients with schizophrenia/psychosis (Saturdays)
• Assisting at the Korogwe outpatient clinic (Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays with nursing officers)
• Supporting patients in occupational therapy activities (e.g., tea factory, farm, etc.)

The hospital staff—including social workers, clinical officers, and nursing officers—speak English, and some patients also have English proficiency. Learning some Swahili before beginning the internship is however helpful.