Bungoma intensifies campaign against mental health

World Mental Health Month: Turning talk into treatment (Photo: iStock)

Bungoma County is putting in place elaborate strategies and structures to enhance awareness creation on mental health.

This comes after the world marked World Mental Health Awareness Month under the theme "Turning Awareness into Action.

The county is focusing on protecting mental health victims against abuse in society through enhanced community-based support systems. It also targets to tackle stigma, particularly for victims of abuse and those with mental health conditions.

Currently, the department of health in Bungoma county is working on having an official Mental unit at the level 5 facility.

Speaking during the 20th anniversary celebration for basic needs and basic rights, which focuses on mental illness victims, coordinator of rehabilitative and mainstreaming services Dr Aron Lambisia, who represented Health and Sanitation CECM, Chrispinus Barasa, said the burden of mental health is quite huge and that at least 1 in every 4 people suffers from mental illness.

“Mental health is a problem that faces the whole community and which must be dealt with accordingly to reduce its cases. It is important to understand and treat the mental health which affects many youth, while at the same time, we will continue to offer our support as a department

He emphasised that health workers do repetitive work daily, which affects them both mentally and emotionally.

The official noted that victims need time to release the stress through team building activities, changing their routine behavior, which will align them properly to change the results.

Lambisia appreciated the organisation for the synergy they have in dealing with mental health cases and handling the issues that have long affected society.

"We are looking for partners to continue supporting the department so that we can reduce the burden of mental illness in the Country. We also call on the public to come out and participate in mental awareness forums to ensure that mental victims get the required support,” Lambisia noted.

Basic Needs and Rights outgoing chairman Allan Oginga noted that in collaboration with the county government, they have been helping victims by strengthening community mental health and wellbeing, a celebration of culture, Health and thriving communities

"We have also expanded our programmes not just from the core community health programmes but also doing resilient programmes in primary schools, grade 7 under the competency-based education curriculum, where we have been equipping young learners with the ability to have resilience to deal with the challenges they have in life,” Oginga noted.

However, it was noted that Stigma continues to deter many patients from seeking treatment, forcing health stakeholders to implement more strategies to enable them to create public awareness and provide treatment in the 19 counties the organisation is currently tackling.

According to Founder Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya (BNBR Kenya), Chris Underhill, creating mental health awareness is key in the journey to curb stigma. They operate in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Kenya to offer person-centered care for individuals with mental health conditions, focusing on recovery, rights-based approaches, and improving mental health literacy to reduce stigma.

BNBR Kenya trains Community Health Promoters in dealing with the mental health services to coffee farmers, especially in parts of Cheptais Sub-County in Mt. Elgon.

Basic Needs, which has existed in Bungoma County for the last 8 years, also supports outreach services and general health checks.

“We also have to listen carefully and consult with people who have a lot of experience with mental health issues. We hope to continue partnering with Bungoma County since we have implemented programmes here for the longest,” Underhill noted.

According to the new board chairman, Dr Boniface Chitayi, Stigma may not be entirely eradicated, but with implementation, they can make progress and achieve milestones. He stated that all health facilities in Kenya offer mental health treatment, not just Mathari Mental Unity.

"We have made considerable achievements because of several people who are coming out publicly to say they have mental health challenges, and they have become champions. In the past, services were, for instance, only celebrated in Mathare in Nairobi with smaller numbers of patients as compared to now, where services are across the country and about half of the County Referral Hospitals in Kenya are providing Mental Health Services,” Dr Chitayi noted.