Disability is not Inability

::Increasing Mental Health Cases worring the State:
28th October 2006 (Saturday Nation)

The Number of Kenyans affected by mental health challenges is rising steadily, says Minister.

The Government has expressed concern over rasing cases of mental illness in the country."About 15 per cent of Kenyans suffer from mental illness," Health assistant minister Wilfred Machage said yesterday. "Compare with the prevalence rate of HIV/Aids, which currently stands at 5.9 per cent, we find the statistics of mental illness worrying." he said. Dr Machage was speaking after he presided over the world Mental Health Day at Dedan Kimathi Stadium in Nyeri District. This year's theme was: Building Awareness and Reducing Risk, Mental Illness and Suicide. He said a quarter of those seeking treatment at local health institutions were diagnosed with psychiatric problem.1 And following rising cases of mental ailments, the world Health Organisation (WHO) wants developing countries to come up with policies and legislations on mental health.

Rising steadily

WHO country representative Peter Eriki said 450 million people worldwide "are at any time affected by mental, neurological or behavioural problems and the rate is rising steadyily". "A recent WHO study in 14 countries shows that in developing countries, between 79 to 85 per cent of serious cases of mental illness did not recieve any treatment within the previous year," Dr Eriki said in a speech read for him by Dr Joyce Onsongo.

Dr Machage said the Government was in the process of developing a national mental health policy to address the mental health problem. "In all the provincal hospitals, you will find that mental words are numbered last and are next to the mortuary. This contributes to stigmatisation of this illness." he said. He called on Kenyans not hide their mentally ill patients but take them to hospital, adding that most of the conditions were manageable.

Mental health Teams set up in hospitals.

Mental health teams have beeen set up in all Government hospitals in Coast Province as part of the efforts to deal with psychiatric conditions in the country, area psychiatrist, Dr Charles Mwangome, said yesterday.

Campaign

Dr Mwangome, who was speaking at the Tudor Health Centre in Mombasa during in the World Mental Day celebrations, said the mental health teams had embarked on a compaign to educate peolpe in the region on psychiatric conditions in the area.

Saturday Nation
28th October 2006

Category:Monitor, policy

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