The government is committed to strengthening the psychological counselors’ function in the public service in order to have a healthy workforce.
The Principal Secretary (PS) in the State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development Amos Gathecha said the number of employees in the public service suffering from mental illness continues to rise despite measures that have been put in place to contain mental illness in the workplace.
Consequently, Gathecha said the ministry has established additional positions for the cadre of counseling psychologists and filled the entry-level posts in order to strengthen the counseling programme in the public sector.
The PS was speaking in Naivasha, during the supervision workshop for 18 newly employed counseling psychologists who will help address rising cases of mental health illnesses within the public service.
He said their deployment will enhance mental wellness in public service adding, “As newly appointed counsellors, it is worth noting that your role is multifaceted and extends beyond individual therapy,” he explained, adding the counsellors’ key responsibilities will include provision of professional counselling services, workplace mental health support, and crisis intervention.
“The crisis intervention component includes Psychological First Aid (PFA) and creating mental health awareness in the Public Service, among others,” the PS said.
He said the appointment of these new officers is a true testament to the government’s continued commitment to strengthening mental health and counselling services for the well-being of all public servants and revealed that the ministry aims to recruit 60 counsellors by end of this financial year.
Gathecha said the government recognizes the critical role played by psychological counseling in personal, family, and workplace wellness, and the new employees are part of the broader strategy to enhance mental health services in the public service, in line with Kenya Vision 2030, Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The need for professional psychological counsellors in Kenyan public service has never been greater. Current statistics indicate that there has been an increase in the number of mental health cases in the public service due to various socio-economic factors, including workplace stress and burnout. Many public servants experience high levels of work-related stress, leading to reduced productivity and even physical health complications,” he expounded.
He advised the new counselling professionals to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards while undertaking their duties and also espouse confidentiality, decorum, empathy and continuous professional development and cultural sensitivity.
It’s worth noting that the PS had earlier revealed that the number of civil servants suffering from mental health issues increased to 13,000 in 2022 to over 14,000 in 2023 and 16,000in 2024, down from 4,000 mental cases before 2020, when Covid-19 pandemic set in.
Also worth noting is that the government has set up counseling centres in every Huduma centre in the country to help those who need psychological help and set up a toll-free number 1919 for those who need tele-counselling.
Data from the State Department for Public Service shows the country lost Sh62.2 billion due to mental health conditions, which is equivalent to 0.6 percent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020 after the onset of Covid-19 pandemic.
The PS particularly noted the rising cases of mental health issues within the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs brought about by numerous reshuffles in embassies and family-related issues.
He also regretted that workplaces in the public service continue to suffer the challenge of substance use dependence by some public officers, which has adversely affected work performance, adding that the mental, emotional, and behavioural damage that results from drug or alcohol use has affected productivity, morale, and even the safety of other co-workers.
Gathecha also revealed that other challenges at workplace include economic and social pressures, gender-based violence, and family conflicts.
Subsequently, he added, the government has prioritized mental health through strengthening legal and policy frameworks touching on mental health.
In addition, the PS observed the Ministry, through the Directorate of Counselling and Wellness Services, has developed the Public Service Counseling and Wellness Policy 2024 which seeks to improve public servants’ mental health and well-being by ensuring that workplaces are safe and conducive for optimal productivity.
Gathecha also told the participants that the government had launched an ongoing Public Service Mental Health Status Survey as part of efforts to address the rising number of mental health issues among public servants.
“The survey is intended to help the government identify areas for improvement and implement appropriate policies and programmes to support the mental wellness of public servants towards improved productivity at the workplace,” he explained.
Gathecha at the same time announced that the government has okayed resumption of trainings within ministries that had been stalled due to lack of funding in order to address skills and knowledge gaps among the officers.
On his part, Acting Secretary Directorate of Counseling and Wellness Services Willis Ombima said the officers deployed will join over 1,000 mental health champions within the public service, whose aim is to ensure their colleagues mental wellness and productivity.
Already, the Ministry has put in place Public Service Counselling and Wellness Policy (2024) solely designed for public servants and is coming up with procedural manual to ensure uniformity in implementation of its recommendations.
The policy also seeks to ensure confidentiality and privacy of public servants seeking mental health services.
By Mabel Keya-Shikuku
