Raila Raises Alarm over Growing Cases of Mental Illness Among Kenyans

ODM leader Raila Odinga has expressed concern over the increased cases of mental health issues among Kenyans.

Odinga, through his social media pages on Friday, called on Kenyans to embrace those suffering from mental problems and encourage them to seek treatment.

“I’m deeply concerned and alarmed about the reported increase in numbers of our people battling mental illness. Instead of ostracizing and labeling those in that lonely corner, let us embrace and encourage them to seek treatment,” Odinga wrote.

He continued: “When was the last time you checked on your children, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and loved ones? We all need someone at times...reach out to someone today."

Last year, a taskforce formed to investigate the status of mental health among Kenyans submitted its report to the Health Ministry.

The team chaired by Dr. Frank Njenga, a psychologist, found out that mental health issues are deep-rooted in the country, with one in ten Kenyans suffering from a common mental disorder.

The report made a raft of recommendations including the declaration of mental health as a national disaster and setting up of an independent Mental Health Commission to exclusively monitor Kenyans’ happiness levels and compile a report annually.

The taskforce also urged the government to adequately fund mental health services to encourage Kenyans to open up and share their problems without worrying about how much it will cost them to treat the disorders.

President Kenyatta ordered the establishment of the taskforce in 2019 following a surge in cases of murder and suicide linked to depression and mental illness.

Comments

That task force should first…

Anonymous UI (not verified) Fri, 02/26/2021 @ 04:55pm

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That task force should first find out the mental effects of teaching Kenyans everyday in a foreign language when they already have their God given languages.This is the first issue of confusion that we need to resolve. Teach kids in their mother tongue where they will be able to operate freely and with ease.
Japanese teach and mold their kids in Japanese language; Germans teach and mold their kids in German; Europeans in the English language and so on.
Mental illness is from molding Kenyan citizens in a foreign language where they end up facing discrimination and racism which in turn creates mental illness and depression.
Begin here. It's a waste of time when the answer is in your face.
"In 1919, Nebraska ( United States) passed the Siman Act, which made it illegal for any school,public or private, to provide any foreign language instruction to students below the 8th grade. Roman Catholic and Lutheran German parochial schools joined together to file suit against the act under 14th Amendment"- Meyers v. Nebraska
Meyers is an important case because it makes it clear that the 14th Amendment provides protection for language minorities.
In our country, we are the majority. How can we subject our kids to foreign language and history?
It's time to correct this historical injustice that has always subjected us and our kids to perpetual slavery.
" To speak is to live for another".

Yes! Preach, preach. I am…

mteja (not verified) Sun, 02/28/2021 @ 12:43pm

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Yes! Preach, preach. I am always appaled even at the languuage they use during funerals of our leaders and politicians, etc. One may need a dictionary or google handy as they roll out the Queen's language, like we have never been independent all these 50+ years!

You create the disease by…

Anonymous UI (not verified) Fri, 02/26/2021 @ 04:56pm

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You create the disease by allowing foreign languages; now you are busy looking and working to create a pill!!! Lol!!

This idiot himself has…

Mkenya halisi (not verified) Fri, 02/26/2021 @ 05:59pm

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This idiot himself has mental illness.Every elections time he looses he makes kenyans die is that not mental blood sucking devilish illness.Rao is one of the useless poverty stricken leader in the entire universe.