Kenyans with mental illnesses do not get immediate help at primary health facilities but are mostly referred elsewhere to once-a-week clinics, a new survey shows.
It shows most health workers in dispensaries, health centres and level 4 hospitals have limited training in mental disorders, which means many patients are lost in the referral system before they get help.
The survey, by researchers from the University of Nairobi’s College of Health Sciences, was conducted in Nairobi, but the researchers said the situation upcountry could be worse.
“Our findings show that health care services centered around physical health were offered daily while the mental health services were still vertical, offered weekly through specialist services by the Ministry of Health directly or non-governmental partners,” they said.
The survey was done to identify challenges and opportunities in integrating mental health into primary healthcare as part of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
It is published in the Annals of General Psychiatry journal.
The survey was carried out in health centres in Kangemi and Kariobangi.
In Kenya, mental illness accounts for four per cent of significant health conditions and the prevalence is rising, according to the Ministry of Health.
There is, however, a paucity of trained medical professionals to handle mental illnesses.
In 2016, Kenya had less than 500 trained mental health professionals comprising 100 psychiatrists, mostly based in Nairobi, and 12 neurologists mainly working in private hospitals in urban settings.
The country had about 2,100 psychologists and over 100 psychiatric nurses, according to the Kenya Psychological Association.
Prof Lukoye Atwoli, chairman of the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, noted that many Kenyans are battling mental illnesses, but are unaware of their status.
“The truth of the matter is that inequality fuels mental ill-health. People with mental illness in a world that is unequal tend to be in the lower ranks of society. They have less access to all services including mental health services,” he said.
He spoke on Saturday during a cycling event at Mathari Hospital in Nairobi, ahead of the World Mental Health Day on October 10.
Depression is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses in the country with half of the people who go to general hospitals for any reason found to be suffering from the illness.
“We are highlighting this so that the world and governments can think about ensuring that even the poorest of the poor have access to mental health services,” he added.
Prof Atwoli said investing in mental health is worthwhile, noting that every shilling invested in mental health yields five to seven shillings in productivity.
Director of Mental Health in the Ministry of Health Simon Njuguna called on Kenyans to adopt an active lifestyle saying doing so helps reduce stress and social ills such as domestic violence.
He noted that currently, one in every four Kenyans practises a sedentary lifestyle.
