County Government of Kisumu has set aside Ksh.3 million to establish strong and functioning mental health care systems in the area.
The County Director of Public Health and Sanitation, Dr. Fredrick Oluoch, said the County is working towards stepping up investment in mental health care systems in 2021/2022 Financial Year, aimed at reforming the Sector.
“The County Health Department will spend some Sh.1 million to acquire an office space and fully equip it before it commences operations,” said Oluoch.
There have been mounting concerns on the state of mental related issues in the country due to the adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
The proposed amount would be used to refurbish Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH) Psychiatric Unit. County Counseling Services, would also be established for civil servants and county workers.
Kisumu is positioning herself to bettering the environment and services for mental health patients and establishing counseling services for civil servants and county staff as it will also prepare them for retirement.
“The counseling will help solve the conflict at workplaces which are common in the ten county departments,” noted Oluoch, adding that it would also influence the lives of civil servants who suffer from drug abuse like alcoholism and work related absenteeism.
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The counseling services would then be cascaded to the seven Sub-counties to offer family based therapy services for identified cases.
KCRH psychiatric wards have a bed capacity of 30 patients (15 males and 15 females) and a staff of about 30.
The Hospital will procure 60 new patients uniforms for both males and females. Another 60 pieces of beddings enough for 30 beds will also be acquired.
A professional psychiatrist is set to be hired with further obtaining of relevant psychiatric commodities such as new generation antipsychotics.
As part of post treatment services, the hospital will now introduce family linkage and reintegration services.
An Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) machine will be installed at KCRH to treat patients with severe depression or bipolar disorders that has failed to respond to other treatments.
Mental health has been declared a national public health emergency in the country. Research shows
In 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the formulation of an appropriate policy response at the national and county level owing to a surge in mental health-related cases, such as depression.
