By Grace Gilo
The Ministry of Health has inaugurated the National Advisory Committee for the National Baseline Mental Health Survey, a landmark initiative that will provide Kenya with its first nationally representative data on mental health conditions.
According to the Ministry of Health, the committee, chaired by Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth and represented at the launch by Dr. Bashir Issak, Head of Family Health, will provide oversight and strategic direction.
Dr. Issak emphasized the importance of this survey in addressing critical gaps identified by the 2020 Task Force on Mental Health
This task force pointed out the lack of comprehensive national statistics regarding the prevalence of mental health issues, treatment gaps, and the socio-economic factors that contribute to these conditions.
Dr. Amoth highlighted that although Kenya has established a mental health policy, its implementation has been hampered by insufficient resources.
“He cited the 2021 Mental Health Investment Case, which stressed the need for targeted funding to expand services and close the treatment gap,” stated the Ministry of Health.
The survey is set to generate national estimates that will serve as a baseline to monitor progress over time and guide policy-making, resource allocation, and service delivery in the mental health sector.
In attendance were Ms. Khatra Ali, Director of Health Services; Dr. Mercy Karanja, Head of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health; and Prof. Lukoye Atwoli, Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa, among others.