Vihiga residents to access mental healthcare services in public hospitals
Mindful Kenya project team leader Mercy Mwende addresses journalists at Vihiga County Referral Hospital.
What you need to know:
- Records in health facilities from five sub-counties show a surging number of mental health related disorders
- The number of patients undergoing psychiatric treatment stands at 9,431.
Vihiga County has rolled out a mental health screening programme in public health facilities. Every facility will have a mental health desk, where residents will be screened on voluntary basis.
This comes following an increase of mental health conditions among residents, according to the county’s health department.
The county government has collaborated with Mindful Kenya, an organisation that deals with mental wellness programmes, to launch the Universal Mental Health Care programme on a pilot basis.
Health Executive Nicholas Mwandihi said records in health facilities from five sub-counties show a surging number of mental health related disorders.
He noted that the number of patients undergoing psychiatric treatment stands at 9,431.
Vihiga Sub-county leads the pack with 8,839 cases. This is attributed to the fact that it plays host to the only public mental health unit at the Vihiga County Referral Hospital.
Previously, Emuhaya and Luanda sub-counties were perceived to be hotbeds for mental disorders in the county due to many cases of bhang abuse. However, in the last five years, Emuhaya has recorded 36 psychiatric patients while Luanda has 345 patients.
The programme aims at strengthening the fight against mental health issues.
“The pilot programme aims at ensuring that we entrench Universal Health Coverage for all mentally ill patients in line with Governor Wilbur Ottichilo’s manifesto,” Dr Mwandihi said during the launch at Emuhaya Sub-county Hospital.
“Early detection and intervention in mental health can reduce long-term impacts and aid in swift recovery. Universal screening ensures no one is left behind because we are all at risk of having mental illnesses," said Dr Mwandihi.
Ms Linet Indiazi, a psychologist in the county, said causes of mental illnesses in Vihiga range from stress, use of hard drugs and lack of guidance among young people.
"Like anywhere else in the world, mental health is a paramount issue. In Vihiga, the number of mental disorders is alarming and calls for urgent measures," said Ms Indiazi.
Mindful Kenya project team leader Mercy Mwende said it was time to start treating mental disorders like other diseases.
"We are here in Vihiga to carry out the pilot programme, a dedicated initiative for mentally ill patients. We will provide accessible, affordable and effective mental health care tailored for different groups," said Ms Mwende.
Health workers will also be able to benefit from the Universal Mental Health Pilot Programme.
Under the project, the county government will lay out plans to help healthcare workers through specialised support, addressing personal challenges and offering stress management resources.
