Prescription regulations authorize primary health care doctors to prescribe, but with restrictions. The department of health does not authorize primary health care nurses to prescribe the psychotheraupetic medicines. Official policy does not permit primary health care nurses to independently diagnose and treat mental health disorders within the primary care system.
The majority of primary health care doctors and nurses have not received in-service training on mental health. Officially approved manuals on the management and treatment of mental health disorders are not available in the majority of primary health care clinics. Official referral procedures for referring persons from primary care to secondary/tertiary care exist as do referral procedures from tertiary/secondary care to primary care.