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{
    "id": 1341111,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1341111/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 381,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr Susan Nakhumicha",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Health",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The Ministry of Health is currently piloting the inclusion of disease specific mental health indicators in the Kenya Health Information System in 14 counties to better understand the burden of mental illness at health facility level. Hon. Temporary Speaker and Hon. Members, part one of the Question is on implementation of promotional, preventive and curative measures to alleviate the burden of mental illness. The Ministry of Health has made significant efforts towards strengthening the country’s mental health system. It has developed national mental health policy documents, including: 1. Kenya Mental Health Policy 2015-2030. 2. Kenya Mental Health Action Plan 2021-2025. 3. National Suicide Prevention Strategy 2021-2026. 4. Kenya Mental Health Investment Case 2021. 5. Mental Health Training Manual for Community Health Volunteers 2021. Furthermore, the Ministry has finalised the first national mental health standards and clinical guidelines for use in building the capacity of primary healthcare workers to identify and manage people living with mental illnesses. Additionally, the Ministry of Health has provided technical support to counties in the implementation of national policy documents. In this regard, it has supported counties in development of their county-specific costed mental health action plans to drive the agenda of mental health at the county level. At present, four counties have developed and are implementing county-specific mental health action plans. These are: Nyeri, Kilifi, Kajiado, and Murang’a. The counties are at different levels of implementation of measures to alleviate the burden of mental illness. Nyeri County has made significant strides in mainstreaming mental health through its inclusion in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). In July 2023, the Ministry of Health held a consultative meeting with various stakeholders on children and adolescents’ mental health. It highlighted the fragmentation of school mental health interventions within the Government by various stakeholders. To address this, the Ministry of Health plans to establish a national school mental health technical working group to improve the collaboration and coordination of school mental health interventions, including development of national guidelines on school mental health. Part two of the Question is on the measures the Ministry has put in place to establish a Mental Health and Happiness Commission, including the creation of an annual national happiness index to be included in the presidential annual report, as well as whether the State The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}