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{
    "id": 1460334,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1460334/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 230,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nominated, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Dorothy Muthoni",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "In this century, I am aware many people are suffering from mental health issues. When we talk about mental health, there are very many causes. As a country, we should ask ourselves: do we have enough specialists to identify the various forms of mental ailments? If so, do we have institutions that look into those ailments at a personal level? Over the years, we have a well-known institution, Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital which takes care of mental health patients. This hospital has been stigmatised, that when you tell patients you are taking them there, they think they will only meet very mentally ill patients. Apart from having a policy, we must fulfil a constitutional right. The policy ensures compliance with Article 27 of our Constitution, which guarantees dignified treatment for all mental patients. As a country we should ask ourselves: do we really treat mental health patients with dignity? Are the facilities well prepared to welcome them? Do they first receive counselling so as to know what they are going through before giving them drugs? We must know how we will close this gap. This is because many Kenyans especially, in the rural areas lack access to mental healthcare facilities. They do not know anyone who can tell them they have an illness. I am impressed because today we have community health workers. They should be the first line workers to identify people with mental health issues and direct them to the best facilities where they can be assisted. I know it is sometimes difficult for families to accept that their kin have mental health issues. The first judgment by parents is always that their children are under drug and substance abuse. This sometimes leads us to not taking interest in the ailments of our children. We should have primary caregivers who identify different types of mental health issues and direct the patients to the right facilities. I know untreated mental illness is a significant public health burden. Many of our children have gone to school and have certificates but they cannot do any meaningful economic activity because they do not have stable minds"
}