Experts call for more funding to tackle mental health crisis

Mental health advocates say that many people continue to live with anxiety, depression and psychosis. [Courtesy]

Health experts have said mental health is one of the most urgent public health and development issues requiring more funding and intervention in Kenya.

Researchers, policymakers, innovators and mental health advocates observed that many people continue to live with anxiety, depression, psychosis and other mental health conditions, often without timely access to care, support or treatment.

The experts meeting at Bamburi Beach Hotel, Mombasa County, on Tuesday, during the final convening of the Mental Health Data Prize Africa initiative, a two-year research programme on developing data-driven solutions on mental health, regretted that mental health has been under-prioritised, under-financed and misunderstood.

They said that limited access to quality data, inadequate research capacity and weak translation of evidence into policy have constrained the ability to respond effectively.

Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga said that Kenya has deliberately elevated mental health as a national public health priority.

“Over the last decade, we have worked to move mental health from the margins of the health system into the centre of our universal health coverage agenda. Guided by national policies, laws and health sector priorities, we have strengthened governance, service delivery, workforce capacity and community-based care,” Dr Oluga said.

In a speech read by the Family Health Director, Dr Bashir Issak, the PS said the ministry will continue to integrate mental health into primary health care and community systems and ensure that the integration is powered by data, digital connectivity and innovation. 

He noted that Kenya’s Digital Superhighway, the Electronic Community Health Information System, strengthened mental health indicators, and the upcoming telemental health centre at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital provide important opportunities to improve real-time data, support frontline workers, enable specialist consultation, and bridge the mental health care gap for marginalised and underserved communities.

In the African context, this is not technology for its own sake; it is technology for equity, access and dignity.

Dr Issak said Kenya was expanding mental health services across counties, investing in digital health systems and preparing to conduct a national mental health survey to establish baseline data on the prevalence of mental health conditions.

"We are trying to streamline all our health data, including mental health, into a digital system where we can access real-time information and use it to make evidence-based decisions," he said.

African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) Executive Director Catherine Kyobutungi noted that 12 per cent of young people aged between 14 and 19 are living with a mental health disorder.

She noted that one in every eight African adolescents experience mental health disorders, yet only one per cent of research funding is dedicated to mental health.

She stated that the actual burden may be much higher, with many cases remaining undiagnosed or untreated due to stigma, limited services and inadequate investment in research and care.

“Mental health disorders often remain hidden until they become severe, contributing to their low prioritisation by governments and funding agencies. Only about one per cent of research funding goes to mental health disorders,” she said.

"If there is little investment in research, our understanding of the magnitude of the problem and the solutions required remains limited," Dr Kyobutungi added.

The event marked the culmination of the Mental Health Data Prize Africa initiative, which awarded 10 innovation grants to teams from eight African countries. The programme brought together mental health practitioners, data scientists and individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions to co-create practical solutions informed by both evidence and personal experience.

Organisers said the approach was designed to ensure that interventions respond to the real needs of people living with mental health conditions rather than relying solely on academic or clinical perspectives.

Among the innovations showcased were tools that use artificial intelligence and natural language processing to transform speech and text from call centres and telemedicine services into actionable health data, digital platforms that help policymakers visualise mental health trends and service gaps, and systems designed to identify early signs of anxiety and depression among young people.

Research lead at Wellcome, Winnie Wefelmeyer, said the solutions developed under the initiative demonstrate how better use of data can improve policymaking, resource allocation and service delivery for millions of Africans living with mental health conditions.

“It is important to fund research to generate quality data for policy making and to improve interventions,” she said.

APHRC research scientist Sylvia Muyingo said the emerging innovation through the Mental Health Data Prize Africa initiative focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, data visualisation, digital tools and decision-support systems, offering major opportunities for Africa.

Researchers believe these can strengthen surveillance, support early detection, improve clinical decision-making, enhance continuity of care and expand access to services, particularly in rural and underserved settings.

These innovations are expected to help experts better understand anxiety, depression and psychosis within African contexts, including how these conditions emerge, how they affect individuals and families, and how health systems can respond more effectively.