Mental Health in Kenya Africa

Mental health in Kenya is a challenging and pervasive issue and what makes it even more complex is the lack of adequate mental health practitioners, raging poverty and the stigma attached to mental problems. Mental health advocacy campaign seeks to address these issues by raising awareness about them through mass events, local seminars and distribution of appropriate literature on the subject and its seriousness.

INTRODUCTION (NEEDS/GOALS)

II A. Factors affecting mental health situation in Kenya

Serious brain drain results in sparse specialist care

Debilitating effects of poverty

Influx of refugees

Funding problems

Poor healthcare policy affecting education, health and social goals

f. Stigma attached to mental problems resulting in poor attitude making the problem worse

IIA. Goals

a. To bring about a change in attitude

b. To raise awareness about debilitating effects of mental health neglect

c. To push for changes in mental healthcare policy

d. To influence the legislative process

e. To raise awareness about the issue of brain drain and its effects on availability of specialist care

III. BARRIERS AND SUPPORTS

III A. Barriers

a. Society's attitude towards mental problems

b. Lack of awareness regarding sparse specialist care

c. Lack of knowledge about effects of a poor healthcare policy

III B. Supports

a. Community

b. Healthcare practitioners

c. Leaders and NGOs

IV. ACTIVITIES

a. Organization of mass events for awareness

b. Distribution of appropriate and relevant literature

c. Seminars at colleges, universities and town halls

d. Posters at key locations

V. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

Since the plan is to develop an advocacy campaign, we must organize it around the key issues that need to be addressed. Poverty and its effects on mental health is one area that must be studied along with the effects of serious brain drain. The legislative process needs to be closely studied to see how poor policy making is affecting mental health issues in Kenya. Kenyans needs to develop a more proactive approach to the issue of mental health. They need to get rid of the stigma attached to this problem and see it as any other disease. That is the only way this problem can be brought out in the open and some concrete actions can be taken to improve the condition of mental healthcare in Kenya.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Mustafa, G. 1973. Society in relation to mental health in Kenya Journal of nervous and mental disease, Volumes 156-157

One of the oldest and most genuine article on the subject of society's attitude towards mental health issues in Kenya. The article was written in 1973 and is found in most books dealing with the subject of mental health in Africa. It contains some very important information on the subject which reveals that not much has changed since then.

2. Bruce. M. "Urbanization and poverty: seventh report of session 2008-09," Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence, Volume 2. Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: International Development Committee. The Stationery Office, 2009

The source contains useful information on mental health situation in Kenya. It explains what factors are affecting the progress in the area and which agencies are involved in the uplift of mental patients.

3. Muga. FA. Community mental health in Kenya: an improbable dream? University of Bristol, 1998

This source highlights the issues of community healthcare in Kenya and how it may not be possible for mental health field because of poor attitude and weak infrastructure.

4. Vogel, LC (Ed) Health and disease in Kenya. Medical Research Centre, Nairobi. East African Literature Bureau, 1974

This source highlights the social and cultural factors that are linked to mental health issues in Kenya. It offers a unique perspective and shows how various social and cultural factors might have an influence on mental health and related primary care in Kenya.

5. Waruta, DW. Caring and sharing: pastoral counseling in the African perspective. Association of Theological Institutions in Eastern Africa. Staff Institute. Uzima, 1995

This source explains the connection of mental health in Kenya to colonial times. It goes back in time to highlight the infrastructure problems and explain the history of mental health in Kenya.

6. World Health Organization. Dept. Of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. 2005. Mental health atlas

This source gives information, facts and statistics on mental health situation in Kenya.

7. Kiev, A. The future of mental health services: proceedings of a Conference on the Future of Mental Health Services, Nairobi, Kenya, August 14-18, 1979 Excerpta Medica, 1980