Top psychiatrist Dr Frank Njenga unveils book on mental health
From left: Nation Media Group Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gitagama, founder of Chiromo Hospital Group Elfreda Njenga, psychiatrist Dr Frank Njenga, founder and chairman of Karen Hospital, Dr Betty Gikonyo and Deputy Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly and Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Boss Shollei during the launch of Dr Njenga's book 'Healing the Mind' at Chiromo Hospital Group in Nairobi on October 9.
What you need to know:
Chiromo Hospital Group founder and renowned psychiatrist Dr Frank Njenga on Monday launched a book distilling his over 40 years’ experience in the field of mental health.
The unveiling of the book titled Healing the Mind came on the eve of the Mental Health Day to be marked today.
In attendance were various industry leaders including the Nation Media Group Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gitagama, senior government officials and medical practitioners.
At the event, Dr Njenga’s contribution to the mental health sector within the country and beyond was recognised.
In his opening remarks, Chiromo Hospital Group CEO Dr Vincent Hongo noted the burden of mental health on the economy.
“It is estimated that we lose Sh62 billion every year in Kenya, which can be directly attributed to various forms of mental illnesses. This ranges from absenteeism from work, workplace injuries, as well as the costs associated with treatment of patients.”
He noted that 25 per cent of all Kenyans and 40 per cent of patients in health institutions suffer from some form of mental illness. Of these, a whopping 75 per cent are not aware of their mental conditions.
Additionally, 15 per cent of people in formal employment, about 3.7 million Kenyans, are experiencing a form of mental illness.
“If we invest Sh80 billion in mental well-being over the next 10 years, projections show we will realise double the profit on the economy,” he said.
Karen Hospital founder Dr Betty Gikonyo, who was the chief guest, recounted his six-decade journey with Dr Njenga, even before they both became medical practitioners.
She commended her long-time friend and colleague for writing the book, noting the importance of literature in society.
“One of the biggest injustices of our society is that we do not have proper documentation of our history. Most of it was oral literature which was diluted and or lost during the colonial era. We, therefore, need to document our knowledge, as this acts as the basis of future generations and underpins human development,” she said.
Mr Gitagama noted NMG’s commitment to mental well-being, as evidenced by the various forums such as the yearly Mental Health Conference organised by the company, as well as various health and mental wellness publications available on paper and online.
“I encourage people to write and share more on this topic, such as Dr Njenga who is also a columnist in one of our publications,” he said.
Dr Njenga thanked NMG for getting him on the path to writing. “This book is simply a compilation of various articles I have done with the Business Daily over 16 years. It is my life-long attempt in curing the knowledge gap and ignorance that existed in our country regarding mental health.”
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei pledged her support to the Kenya Psychiatrists Association who seek to table a motion to decriminalise suicide, one of the ‘side effects’ of mental illnesses such as depression.
