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{
    "id": 1341112,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1341112/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 382,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr Susan Nakhumicha",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Health",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "has any plans to provide psycho-social services in learning institutions and to capacity build teachers to identify and assist impacted students. Hon. Temporary Speaker and Hon. Members, the Task Force on Mental Health, 2019 identified the absence of a unified mental health leadership and governance structure in the country. It made a recommendation for the establishment of the National Mental Health and Happiness Commission which will be the overall mental health authority in the country. It will be tasked with monitoring the state of mental health and happiness among Kenyans using an annual national happiness index to help guide public policies. This Commission is not in place presently. However, progress has been made towards strengthening the mental health leadership and governance structures in the country. This has been undertaken through the following: (i) The creation of the office of the Presidential Advisor on Mental Health (PAMH) which was done in 2021. It is tasked with the implementation of the recommendations by the Task Force on Mental Health. However, the term of the first Presidential Advisor on Mental Health ended in August 2022. The office is vacant. Names have been submitted for possible consideration. (ii) The Kenya Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 2022 provided the legal framework for the establishment of mental health leadership and governance structures at national and county level. At the national level, this led to the appointment of the Kenya Board of Mental Health through Gazette Notice No.8818 on 28th July 2022 and Gazette Notice No.9284 on 5th August 2022. It serves as the oversight authority for mental health. It has an important responsibility towards improving the mental health of the population and safeguarding the rights of persons with mental illness. Hon. Temporary Speaker and Hon. Members, at this point I would like to respond to a Question that had been raised earlier regarding the operationalisation of the Mental Health Board. We have made strides in it. We are waiting to inaugurate the Board upon approval of our supplementary budget that has put in place the funds that it will use. At the county level, the Act gives provision for appointment of county mental health councils mandated to spearhead all matters relating to the status of mental health and mental illness in the counties. However, the counties are yet to appoint their county mental health councils. Therefore, the Ministry is currently planning on disseminating the Kenya Mental Health (Amendment) Act 2022 to the County Executive Committee members for health, who are mandated by law to appoint the councils through the Council of Governors. On provision of psycho-social services in learning institutions, globally, it is estimated that 50 per cent of mental health conditions develop by the age of 15, and 75 per cent of mental health conditions have developed by the age of 25. Furthermore, the Task Force on Mental Health identified children and adolescents as a special population in mental health who require targeted intervention. In this regard, the following recommendations were made: (i) Youth counsellors should be employed in primary schools to provide counselling services. (ii) School nurses should be required to undertake training on youth and adolescent health in order to better meet the needs of adolescents. (iii) Build capacity for teachers to identify and help affected children in schools. In implementation of these recommendations, the Ministry has made progress. In 2022, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Mental Health, was able to support an initial multi-sectoral workshop towards development and implementation of mental health literacy curriculum for teachers. The Ministry of Education is represented also in the National Mental Health Stakeholders Forum and National Multi- Sectoral Suicide Prevention Committee to enable collaboration on safeguarding the mental health of students in learning institutions. In July 2023, the Ministry held a consultative meeting 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."
}