This archive report was first published on 28 November 2019.
On November 27, 2019, the highly anticipated Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report was released, proposing the creation of a happiness department to address mental well-being in Kenya.
The 156-page taskforce report suggested that the Ministry of Health should have a Department of Happiness, Wellness, and Mental Health dedicated to working on policies and standards in this area.
According to the report, the department should work alongside the Ministry of Culture to ensure that the programs they set up to enhance mental wellness are in line with the people's cultural views and approach towards the subject matter.
The report also recommended that the department be promoted to counties that have the health mandate, and that Kenya produce a disaggregated Happiness Index as part of the work on the Human Development Index.
These recommendations come at a time when cases of suicide and homicide have seemingly been on the rise in the country, with experts attributing them to depression, desperation, and other mental health conditions.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had previously spoken out about the issue, saying, 'To any Kenyan out there who is suffering from depression or feelings of hopelessness, I beseech you to reach out and talk, you are not alone.'
