This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
July 7, 2020 - Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya is on the brink of a mental health disaster, a taskforce has warned, with the government being urged to declare the issue a national disaster.
The taskforce, led by Dr. Frank Njenga, made the warning while submitting its report to the Ministry of Health on Tuesday. Dr. Njenga said that mental health issues are deep-rooted and require urgent attention.
"We are recommending an equally decisive declaration by our government that recognizes that too many people are dying either by suicide or by the root of gender-based violence and we suggest that such a move will and can save lives," Dr. Njenga said.
The taskforce also recommended the formation of an independent mental health commission to monitor people's happiness levels and provide an annual report. It also called for better funding of mental health services to encourage people to seek help without fear of cost.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe acknowledged that mental health issues have increased since the coronavirus pandemic was confirmed in the country in March. He said that psychosocial issues have compounded the problem of the pandemic, with a rising number of mental health-related issues such as depression leading to suicide.
Recent incidents of murder and suicide have highlighted the need for urgent action. Last month, a young woman killed her four children and called her relatives to inform them where the bodies were. In the same month, a man killed his wife and son in Mwiki due to family-related frustrations.
President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the formation of the taskforce amid rising depression and mental sickness, which led to high cases of murder and suicide. The taskforce was mandated to assess Kenya's mental health systems and identify areas that require reform.
According to the World Health Organization's 2014 report, Kenya ranked fourth in Africa with 1.9 million people suffering from depression. The Kenya Mental Health Policy (2015-2030) also notes that 20-25 per cent of outpatients seeking primary healthcare presented symptoms of mental illness.
