By Michelle Ndaga
Kenya has taken a historic step toward strengthening mental health care with the launch of the National Advisory Committee for the National Baseline Mental Health Survey, the country’s first effort to generate comprehensive nationwide data on mental health conditions.
The committee, chaired by Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth and represented at the launch by Dr. Bashir Issak, Head of Family Health, will provide oversight and strategic guidance for the initiative.
Dr. Issak said the survey fills a critical gap identified by the 2020 Taskforce on Mental Health, which revealed the lack of reliable national statistics on prevalence rates, treatment gaps, and socio-economic determinants of mental health.
Dr. Amoth emphasized that while Kenya has a mental health policy framework, implementation has long been hampered by limited resources.
He pointed to the 2021 Mental Health Investment Case, which underscored the urgency of targeted funding to scale up services and address the treatment gap. The upcoming survey will generate baseline estimates to track progress, guide resource allocation, and shape future policy.
Among those present at the launch were Ms. Khatra Ali, Director of Health Services; Dr. Mercy Karanja, Head of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health; and Prof. Lukoye Atwoli, Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College, East Africa.
Officials said the findings will not only inform Kenya’s mental health strategy but also empower communities, policymakers, and health practitioners to strengthen interventions and reduce the burden of mental illness nationwide.
