Taskforce Recommends Creation of Special Commission to Monitor Kenyans' Happiness Level
A task force formed to establish the status of mental health among Kenyans has submitted its report to the Health Ministry.
The report handed over to Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Tuesday makes a raft of recommendations including the declaration of mental health as a national disaster.
The task force chaired by Dr. Frank Njenga, a psychologist, found out that mental health issues are deep-rooted in the country and want it given the attention it deserves. The report estimates that one in ten Kenyans suffer from a common mental disorder.
The report further recommends the setting up of an independent Mental Health Commission to exclusively monitor Kenyans’ happiness levels and compile a report annually.
“We are recommending an equally decisive declaration by our government that recognizes that too many people are dying either by suicide or by the root of gender-based violence and we suggest that such a move will and can save lives,” Njenga said.
The Njenga-led team also wants the government to adequately fund mental health services in order to encourage Kenyans to open up and share their problems without worrying about how much it will cost them to treat the disorders.
“The kingdom of Bhutan, for example, has a very sophisticated system [commission] of examining the mental health and happiness of her people. I am suggesting that such a commission would be a good idea for us,” Njenga said.
“As a task force, we are surprised and impressed by reading the BBI report which coincidentally contains exactly the same recommendations. So whether you come from the BBI or UN side our recommendation is right in the middle and we strongly feel that a responsible body to monitor mental health and happiness of our people is important.”
President Kenyatta ordered the formation of the task force last year amid increased cases of murder and suicide linked to depression and mental sickness.
“People are so afraid and shy of indicating that they are human beings who are suffering from depression or post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and would rather stay with their disease at home than expose themselves to the shame of confirming that they suffer from mental illness,” added Dr. Njenga.
Speaking while receiving the report, CS Kagwe indicated that mental health issues have spiked in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These psychosocial issues have compounded the problem of the current pandemic. The rising number of mental health-related issues such as depression some of which have ended up in suicide has been a concern to the government,” he noted.
Comments
Just tell the truth! Tell it…
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Just tell the truth! Tell it like it is!!! It is depends on the definitions of the word, “happiness”!
The only people who are…
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In reply to Just tell the truth! Tell it… by Mathenge (not verified)
The only people who are happy with Kenyan government are Foreign diplomats, Terriorists, thieves, murderers, landgrabbers, rapists, drug dealers, serial killers , all criminals and the devil.
Those are the people happy with the Kenyan government.
Dr. Njenga - what…
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Dr. Njenga - what constitutes “happiness” in psychological terms!?
Was Dedan Kimathi happy when he fought the colonial masters to a point of sacrificing his own life for you and me?
What about Mrs Mukami Kimathi who has lived a lonely life there after, and the children that Kimathi left behind?
And in midst of coronavirus, family breakage, lack of jobs, kids not able to attend school, fear of one another, corruption, blatant lies from the leaders, politics za kunyakua Mali ya uma, etc - all that mental stress - do you think Kenyans can be happy?
You would have to take 98% of Kenyans to see some muganga ( mundu mugo) some place to make them partially happy! A PhD dude can’t solve the huge problem! Can you solve what is ailing the mental health of Kenyans; I’m talking about you, Njenga?
Are you happy yourself Dr. Njenga? Please don’t tell us you are happy because the government is paying you to tell us the obvious!!! Otherwise we will call you an outright liar!
Only 10% of Kenyans are…
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Only 10% of Kenyans are happy on the surface because they have drained our national coffers to banks abroad!
They are suffering spiritually as the fathom the judgment day with their make after a luxurious life here on the earth while millions suffered at their expense.
Then I take DP Ruto is very miserable with all that money he has stolen from us and now he is nearly in the political dustbin! So then, who is happy??
And for the poor man living day by day from hand to mouth or otherwise, I don’t know what to tell you except meza mate while the thieves live in comfort!
Kenyans will be happy when…
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Kenyans will be happy when bars r open as who best to pour out ur sorrows than a bar maid.
Really? I also need a…
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Really?
I also need a commission to make sure I find sleep at night especially during this period of lockdown. That commission should be allocated a budget of not less than Kshs 100 million and they had better get some travel allowance and security details.
We want secession. The kenya…
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We want secession.
The kenya government is a demonic cult that
1. recruits clueless Kenyans and turns them into thieves, landgrabbers and murderers.
2. Empowers thieves, murderers, rapists and human traffickers.
3. Has turned diplomats into apologists for murderers, rapists, thieves , landgrabbers and traffickers.
We want secession.
If Buddhist want to recruit Kenyans into their religion , they should stop hiding behind “ Creation of Ministry of Happiness”.
The kingdom of Bhutan is Buddhist.
Kinda hard to be happy in a…
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Kinda hard to be happy in a country of 50 million beggars and 8 million millionaires! We shall be happy when it is the other way around! Don’t ask me when that will be! Only God knows, Jesus come back to earth soon!
Kenya will never run short…
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Kenya will never run short of Corruption conduits.
Of course my level of…
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Of course my level of happiness is minus zero when I spend the whole cold night without food to eat!
It does become a state of my psychological make up not to afford my basic necessities. It is psychologically painful! What good does it do me to go for a mental check while my main problem is lacking what I need?
Poverty is similar to coronavirus where the enemy is invisible. You do not see PE Betty if you have never lived in poverty. You just imagine how life in poverty is!
Any doctor who tell me otherwise is just a damn fool!
@dr Njenga - don’t make me…
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@dr Njenga - don’t make me laugh or maybe cry! You don’t even know know what is happiness yourself! You ate three full course meals today. I spent the whole day hungry and I will sleep hungry. Who is happy here - you or me? Millions of Kenyans are caught in my situation daily. Are we happy?
Happiness - what’s that? Give me a honest definition of happiness!
You are lying talking about BBI and UN findings of happiness to us. You are just a foolish book warn who don’t understand the topic you are trying to address.
Ati we are happy because some white dude in Geneva got together with Kenya’s BBI team and secretly agreed to lie to us that we are happy!? Just walk in the wild side Dr Njenga! You make me sick!
Do the three people we see…
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Do the three people we see in this photo live in the same Kenya the 99% of us live? Why lie in a broad day light to us? Give us a break about mental health and happiness! There is nothing like happiness for most of who are not paid to tell a lie! Get our country together for all to enjoy and stop stealing from our hard hot sweat. Can’t be any nicer without telling you the truth! What a shame!
Another way to milk the cow
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Another way to milk the cow
Mental health is a serious…
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Mental health is a serious issue. Africans or black people all over the world whatever you want to call them are especially prone to belittling and hiding mental health concerns. We need to be open and this report might be a beginning.
Ha ha, then someone should…
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Ha ha, then someone should start lobbying to get a job in the commission. Kenyans know how to squander tax payers money
Misplaced priorities at best…
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Misplaced priorities at best! Why is our tax money being wasted to matters of vanity? We cannot be feeding well suited folks while the large group of Kenyans is sleeping hungry! Did Dr Njenga perform the font services for free? You talk about hostile corruption - this is plainly one among many!
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