Over 200 residents in Kisumu County have benefited from the ongoing screening and counseling as stakeholders marked the World Mental Health Day fete at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
The County Executive Member for Health (CECM) Dr. Greg Ganda said that they are committed to strengthening and engraving mental health in the primary healthcare systems up to the grassroots level.
“A study conducted in the region revealed that in one year there are around 40 people in Kisumu County who commit suicide which means that each ward has one person as a victim,” Dr. Ganda said as he led the participants in marking the celebrations on October 10.
He added that there are a lot of studies and work on mental health which are currently going on in Kisumu to augment the concerted efforts by various stakeholders.
“One of them is the Smart Dapper study, which found out that one in every three people who walk into a facility will require mental health screening after being asked a few questions,” said Dr Ganda.
In this way, he notes, it will be easy to determine whether one needs to see a mental health specialist or practitioner to solve the problems they are facing.
Dr. Ganda’s sentiments affirm the mental health screening report which indicates that the number of those positively screened in these health facilities was at over 67. Out of this figure, JOOTRH registered (4), Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH) (3), Lumumba Hospital (43), Migosi Hospital (17), and Railways and Nyalenda nil.
Similarly, Ganda confirmed that he had already appointed members to the County Mental Health Council who will kick start their duties in three months’ time as they still await final guidelines on work operations from the Ministry of Health.
Under this year’s theme of “Mental Health is a Universal Right,” the CECM further revealed that there will be continued screening in 35 Centres within Kisumu County. The Centres have toll-free 24hrs call services manned by professionals.
“Each of the wards in two years,” he projected, “is going to have a Health and Wellness Centre, and work has already begun. If you look at the tenders we issued this year, each ward has one facility which is being renovated, painted and spruced up for this kind of work.”
The ongoing screening, a key brainchild of the Health Department, SMART DAPPER, Kenya Counselors and Psychiatrist Association (KCPA) and its partners, has seen the number of those treated within the period to 63 patients.
Dr. Ganda clarified that his team has already worked on documents and ways in which junior people can speak about and deal with mental health issues inside the new facilities.
In one of their studies, he noted, that the average earnings of the participants was Sh.3,600 when they started. But on a positive note after counseling and being taken care of in terms of their wellness, four months later, their salaries or earnings went up by 25 per cent to almost Sh.5,670.
This, he observes, has immensely impacted livelihoods and the economy as mental patients miss work or become less productive because of the illnesses.
“So, if we want to improve the economy of this region then we should have to deal with issues of mental health through counseling by engaging someone who is well trained in Psychotherapy issues, taken care of and given medicines,” Dr. Ganda advised.
On his part, the County Director of Health, Fredrick Oluoch, said that they already have trained mental health champions who are screening within the communities. This has helped in identifying cases which need treatment and research which helps to improve service delivery.
Loice Omondi, Kisumu Mental Health Ambassador pointed out that they face significant barriers in the social care and environmental transition, something that makes them more vulnerable.
“People who are mentally ill, most of them have poor care and are forced to live in uncertain environments with poor security that often come with no foster care. Some are caged with no meals, clothes and medication,’’ cautioned Omondi.
On survival skills, Omondi who is a mental health, illness and disability survivor implored the locals to improve the situation by identifying qualified personnel who can guide the infected and affected people.
In addition, she calls for the improvement of social care to avoid triggers such as missing meals, menstrual period, stress, missing medication, inadequate sleep and direct sunlight.
Ms. Omondi called for the establishment of Rehabilitation Centres for the homeless mental illness and mental disability in the country.
In the build-up to the day, the department lined up various activities like a walk-in procession from Kondele roundabout to JOORTH venue held radio and TV talk shows, and a public Chief’s Baraza held at Nyalenda B in Kisumu Central Sub County.
Significantly, these activities sought to sensitize the public on the differences between mental health, illness and disability.
The World Mental Health Day event was also graced by JOOTRH CEO, Dr. George Rae, and Dr. Lynda Nyamuthe a Consultant Physician, Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Female Advisory Organization (KEFEADO), TINADA Youth Organization, OGRA Foundation, Nyalenda Young Turks, and Sage International-Kenya among others.
By Rolex Omondi
