Ministry of Health launches guidelines for management of disorders

By Peter Ochieng

The Ministry of Health has unveiled Kenya’s first clinical guidelines for the management of common mental disorders.

Cabinet Secretary (CS) Debrah Mlongo Barasa led ministry has also adapted the World Health Organization (WHO) mental health gap action program (mhGAP) for Kenya.

Speaking during the unveiling, Dr. Bashir Isaak, representing Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth, emphasised the critical need for these guidelines.

The ministry estimates that 75% of mental health cases remain untreated, leaving millions of Kenyans vulnerable.

“With 42% of primary care patients showing severe depression and a national prevalence of 10.3% for common mental disorders, there is a substantial treatment gap due to low mental health literacy among healthcare workers,” he said.

The new guidelines and mhGAP e-training aim to improve mental health care at the primary level, providing essential strategies for diagnosis and treatment.

The launch, aligns with World Suicide Prevention Day, focusing on early detection and reducing suicide rates. This year’s theme is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” which calls for more open discussions to reduce stigma and prevent suicide deaths.

Meanwhile, CS Mlongo has praised the Global Fund for its 21-year collaboration with Kenya in fighting AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria.

During a meeting with a Global Fund delegation on Tuesday led by Linden Morrison, Dr. Barasa highlighted key achievements, including a reduction in HIV infections, a drop in malaria prevalence from 8.2% in 2015 to 6% in 2023, and an 86% TB treatment success rate.

On his part, Morrison commended Kenya’s leadership in public health and reiterated the Global Fund’s commitment to supporting Universal Health Coverage (UHC), pandemic preparedness, and health system strengthening. Since 2003, the Global Fund has invested US$2 billion in Kenya’s healthcare.

The CS was joined by Principal Secretaries Mary Muthoni and Harry Kimtai, and Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth, among other key health leaders.