CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON MENTAL HEALTH

The department of health services’ mental health taskforce team led by Prof. Atwoli Lukoye and Dr. Joyce Nato, today held a consultative meeting at Kakamega Social Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to collect information on mental health as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2019.

“Many of us do not have information on causes and solutions to mental illness, as well as where to get assistance,” said Prof. Atwoli.

“People carry with them a lot of mental scars from previous experiences that they have undergone,” he added.

Prof. Atwoli further said that everyone needs good mental health status, explaining that when one speaks of mental illness most people relate it to the psychological separation from reality; “In this case it is the change in thinking (depression) emotion and behavior,” Prof. Atwoli said.

On her part, Dr. Nato said one in four people is suffering from a mental illness; 10 percent have severe mental problem while 25 percent have mild mental issues.

“There are many stressors (environmental, economic, physical factors) that trigger mental illnesses. Killing oneself is a cry of distress,” she said.

Participants advocated for the establishment of universal mental health education in various institutions countrywide.

Earlier, the mental health taskforce team paid the CECM for Health Madam Rachel Okumu and the Deputy County Commissioner Mr. D. S. Ogola courtesy calls at their respective offices.

The mental health taskforce team is moving around the country talking to experts and the public to get peoples opinions on mental health, the problems and their solutions.