This archive report was first published on 5 October 2021.
On October 5, 2021, the Ministries of Health and Interior in Kenya joined forces to upgrade facilities and services at Mathari Hospital, the nation's sole referral institution for mental health and psychiatry training.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and his Health counterpart Mutahi Kagwe announced the partnership, which aims to enhance services at the hospital, including its Maximum Security Unit for mentally ill offenders.
Mathari Hospital is the only institution in Kenya that specializes in mental health and psychiatry training.
According to Matiangi, the investment will significantly improve the quality of mental health services, citing the hospital's 100% vaccination rate for mentally ill offenders and ongoing vaccination efforts for the elderly, teachers, security personnel, and other priority staff.
During their visit to the hospital on October 5, Matiangi and Kagwe oversaw the COVID-19 vaccination of mentally ill patients, the elderly, and other priority staff.
As of October 4, 2021, Kenya had recorded 5,141 COVID-19 fatalities and 242,857 recoveries, with over 3.8 million people vaccinated, including 930,740 who were fully vaccinated.
Public health officials noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities in human development, contributing to an increase in mental health and related disorders.
Depression is a prevalent mental illness in Kenya, with half of patients visiting general hospitals suffering from the condition, often without their knowledge.
In 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta recognized mental illness as a crisis in the country and formed a task force on mental health, which recommended the refurbishment of Mathari Hospital among other measures.
