By
Rading Biko
The Head of State spoke on Tuesday evening when he
presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the
ultra-modern Kenya International Mental Wellness hospital in Ngong, Kajiado
County.
President Uhuru
Kenyatta with other dignitaries during the groundbreaking ceremony for the
construction of the ultra-modern Kenya International Mental Wellness hospital
in Ngong, Kajiado County.[Twitter/State House-Nairobi]
Kenyans have been urged to embrace a concerted effort to
eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness by actively supporting
those in mental distress.
This was revealed by President Uhuru Kenyatta when he
presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the
ultra-modern Kenya International Mental Wellness hospital in Ngong, Kajiado
County.
The President said those facing mental health challenges
deserve to be helped instead of being discriminated against, pointing out that
mental illness is a disease like others.
“As I lay the foundation stone for this seminal facility,
I urge every Kenyan suffering from mental health challenges to seek assistance
from the expanding network of facilities and services. Let therapy and mental
health check-ups be a regular part of our health care just as regular check-ups
are the norm for physical health. Let us eliminate the stigma around mental
health by actively supporting those in mental distress through offering a
helping hand and an understanding shoulder to lean on,” President Kenyatta said.
Once fully operational, the hospital will work closely
with other regional and global centres of excellence to ensure Kenyans and the
people in the region receive the highest standards of mental health services.
Uhuru opines that “It is important to underscore that the
management of this hospital will ensure that all those seeking services here
access quality mental health care services in an environment that promotes
recovery with dignity and respect.
“Indeed, it is expected to bring a paradigm shift in the
existing negative narratives and attitudes associated with mental illness. It
is only right that people freely seek mental health services without fear or
shame; and this facility will provide that environment,” the President said.
As a research facility, the hospital will collaborate
with universities and other research institutions across the world to research
mental health conditions aimed at improving evidence-based care that will
inform the necessary policy shift in mental health care.
To ensure access to affordable quality mental health
care, President Kenyatta said the National Health Insurance Fund benefit
package will include mental health care services.
He called on other stakeholders to join the government in
scaling up investment in mental health care.
The government has constituted a special task force on
mental Health to study the status of mental health in the country and recommend
transformative solutions to reform the country’s mental health systems.
Kenyatta reveals “The report clearly specified the key
mental health issues that are of concern to Kenyans. But more importantly, it
provided clear recommendations, which, once effectively implemented, will go a
long way in improving the mental wellbeing of our people.”
The government has also taken a raft of measures
including building human resource capacity for mental health through the
recruitment and deployment of 146 psychologists to the 47 counties.
He added that the Government is also in the process of
establishing a mental health information system to collect and manage data on
Mental Health in Kenya.
“This database will form a platform on which Kenya’s
future mental health policies and investments in mental healthcare will be
anchored. Currently the Ministry of Health, is operationalizing a mental health
call Centre with the goal of improving access to mental health services for all
Kenyans,” the President said.
