The Nakuru Governor, Lee Kinyanjui has promised to initiate mental health awareness in a bid to curb rising suicide cases in the county.
While addressing mourners on Wednesday at the burial of Molo-based K24 television cameraman, George Kori at Gatura village in Elburgon, the governor observed that mental health issues have not been taken up with deserving seriousness and added if such laxity will continue then more youth will follow suit.
He revealed that Molo sub-county has more cases and therefore the need to set up mental awareness in the health facilities so that those affected can visit for treatment and counseling services.
Doing this, he said, will go a long way in saving the nation if such centres are sustained.
The governor said that efforts will be put in place to ensure that they collaborate with the stakeholders such as the church, medical practitioners among others to assist in finding a lasting solution to this matter and that the victims get prompt attention when undergoing any form of mental health.
Kinyanjui further thanked the media fraternity for being in the front line in informing and educating the public on such issues but was quick to add that they require counseling due to the disturbing images they come across on a day to day basis.
Additionally, he regretted that culture dictates men to be strong enough to solve issues on their own and this will derail such effort for fear of being stigmatized by the society and those who seek for assistance are seen as weaklings hence the need to change such a mindset if suicide cases are to be tamed.
The Nakuru Journalists Welfare Association Chairman, Raphael Munge said journalists deal with mental issues of gross scenarios they come across when collecting news and are forced to live with such traumatizing events since they have nowhere to seek professional help from.
With this effort, Munge said that it will assist them more especially during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic that has left many jobless.
He noted that anyone is prone to depression thus the need to find a permanent solution, adding that those facing such mental illness,
including attempted suicide should not be taken as criminals but instead be assisted to tackle life challenges and be enlightened on where to seek help.
The Molo legislator, Kuria Kimani said the Mental Health Bill has to be amended to have mental health experts deployed in hospitals nationwide as a measure to help arrest increasing cases of such instances.
During the burial, parents were urged to be actively involved in the lives of their children to enable them to open up when faced with challenges.
Those facing life hurdles were advised to seek advice not from their peers but from the elderly who are experienced.
The late Kori was battling depression. He went missing on 19th May of this year only for his body to be found five days later in his father’s farm where he had hanged himself on a tree.
By Emily Kadzo
