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{
    "id": 905690,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/905690/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 151,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mugo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 85,
        "legal_name": "Beth Wambui Mugo",
        "slug": "beth-mugo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity to contribute to this Bill which I strongly support. It is time we looked into the issues of mental health in our country. I want to emphasis on the issue of stigma. As we know, in our country, mental health is not understood. Many people hide their family members because they do not accept that mental health is a problem like any other. It is merely an illness and there is nothing to be ashamed of. In developed countries, mental health is taken seriously. A few years ago, when I served as the Minister for Public Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) organised a conference on mental health. During the discussions, it came out that as a country, we have to put a lot of information out there about mental health. However, in our country, we wait until we see somebody walk without clothes or run on the road to tell that they are abnormal. That is when we conclude that the person has mental health issues but still, we do not give them proper medication. It is unfortunate that I was out of the country when the Committee on Health was looking at this Bill because I was attending to my husband whose health is not good. I strongly support that we should work with mental health psychologists. Everyone and not just people perceived to be mad should visit psychologists and psychiatrists. We need to define the meaning of “madness.” Once members of a family feel that something is wrong with a person, action should be taken. Psychologists and psychiatrists should be part of mental health care. That is why we have a lot of murder or suicide cases in our country because of depression. Depression is part of mental health and it should be checked before it gets worse. His Excellency the President named members of a committee that was tasked with looking at causes of suicide and murders. The Ministry concerned should find answers about causes of depression in our country. We need to know especially why women are being killed. Does the society value women? Such issues should be put in the context of mental health. Hospital offering mental health services should also be improved. Somebody should not feel like they are being punished if they are taken there. We have Mathari Hospital but some families cannot disclose when they take their relatives there. We should have sections in other hospitals that deal with mental health issues. We should not just have one hospital which is already stigmatised because it is known for patients suffering from mental health."
}