Kitui county Health department is seeking Sh50 million budgetary allocation to set up a trauma and psychiatric centre.
The centre will cater for the increasing numbers of people suffering from mental illness.
The Health executive Winnie Kitetu said due to difficulties occasioned by Covid-19, as well as social media influence, many people were slipping into depression.
This, she said, led to increased number of suicide cases recorded in recent times.
She said the trauma and psychiatric centres at the Kitui County Referral Hospital will address the alarming cases of mental illness in region and country at large.
Kitetu further said research shows that one in every five people seeking treatment in hospital has a mental disorder.
She said she was optimistic that the construction of the centre will start in the next financial year.
Kitetu who is a Califonia-trained clinical psychologist said her department was well prepared to take care of mental illnesses in Kitui.
She said that psychiatrists to man the trauma and psychiatric centre are already being trained and will be available by the time the centre is up and running.
“Forty percent of the people killing themselves through suicide are doing it due to depression caused by hard life where things are no longer working,” she said.
She said that there was need for the national government and counties to take the issue of mental illness more seriously.
The Health executive further said there was urgent need for the opening counselling stations across the country to address mental health issues and the stationing of psychologist in each and every hospital.
She said Kenyans should stop living in denial and visit hospitals frequently for mental check-up.
“Until we have a budget at the national level and in the counties to cater for mental health then we will not be able to address the problem and help these people who are struggling with the illness,” she said.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
