Busia to establish fully-fledged mental health unit

Busia,

Sunday, September 10, 2023,

KNA by Salome Alwanda/Victoria Magar

The County Government of Busia plans to establish at least two mental health units in each of its seven Sub Counties. 

 The county Deputy Governor Arthur Odera, while speaking Saturday during a forum to mark the International Suicide Prevention Day at Amerikwai Primary school in Teso South Sub County, said that the County leadership is committed to improving the entire health sector.

“We know that a healthy population is a productive population, which will bring the next generation to take this county forward,” he said.

Odera who doubles as the CEC Member for health added that the Department also plans to increase the number of staff within the mental health sector so that residents can access the services even at the grassroots level.

“Right now we only have psychiatrist nurses and counseling psychologists,” he said, adding that the County leadership will employ a psychiatrist who will establish the unit at the County Referral hospital.

The deputy governor further expressed the County’s willingness to work closely with the relevant Non-Governmental organizations to ensure that stigma connected to mental health issues is alleviated.

 “We will work with you in spreading the message of mental health across this county,” said Odera.

Erick Wandera, psychologist from Friendly Innovative Development Solutions (FIDS) noted that men were more susceptible to committing suicide than women.

Wandera noted that according to WHO, suicide is ranked third among the major causes of death among the youth aged 15 to 19.

Javan Olocho, in charge of mental health department at the Busia County Referral hospital said that the facility recorded 54 cases of suicide last year.

“We managed to handle the cases successfully, but unfortunately we lost seven lives,” he said, adding that 80 suicide cases have been reported at the facility from January to August this year, with nine of them leading to death at county referral hospital alone.

Olocho further stated that reports from Sub County hospitals have not been established due to shortage of staff to serve there.

Rose Wandaki, the Director of FIDS however stated that the organization has come up with empowerment programmes to support women in the community so as to reduce Gender Based Violence, which is seen as a major cause of mental health challenges.

"We have done women empowerment sensitisation so that they can be independent and be able to help the men in providing for the home and this has reduced the number of gender-based violence,” she said.

According to the World Health Organization report, at least 800,000 suicide incidences have been reported per year, which means in every 40 minutes one person commits suicide in a day.

Courtesy; KNA