This archive report was first published on 27 November 2019.
Published on November 27, 2019, the World Health Organisation estimates that over 300 million people globally suffer from episodes of depression.
According to the organisation, pregnant women and new mothers are at a higher risk of depression, which can have serious negative impacts on their child's health and their family as a whole.
Targeting preventive therapies against depression among pregnant women and new mothers can improve their mental well-being, as well as that of their babies, leading to a healthier generation.
Australia's online-based depression course, Moodgym, has shown promising results in educating the public, especially mothers and adolescents, on coping with depression.
The programme, which has over a million followers, has been estimated to reduce depression levels among its target audience by over 26 per cent.
Two main web-based training methods are used to combat depression: cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal therapy.
Cognitive behavioural therapy teaches individuals to learn the relationship between thoughts, behaviour, and moods, while interpersonal therapy focuses on effective communication with family and work colleagues.
Web-based therapies are essential in Kenya and Africa, where there are few trained psychiatrists and psychologists to reach all mentally ill patients.
They also reduce the cost of treatment for mental illnesses and can be personalised to suit individual needs.
With the increasing number of mental breakdown cases in Kenya, schools are among the best sites for implementing web-based depression courses and therapies.
Dr P.M. Mutua, an immunologist from Makueni, notes the importance of addressing mental health issues in Kenya.
