MENTAL HEALTH STIGMATISATION IN KENYA

In his column in the Sunday Nation of February 2^nd 2014(Mentally ill deserve equal job opportunities) and on the 9^th February 2014(Mental Health needs a high-profile advocate) Dr. Lukoye Atwoli brings to the fore the problem of stigmatisation of people with mental disorders in Kenya.

 

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights notes  in its 2011 report titled Silenced Minds:The Systemic Neglect of Mental Health System  in Kenya that  there is little community awareness about mental health,leading to confusion about what constitutes mental disorder,mental illness,personality disorder,intellectual disability e.t.c. The Commission says in its report that stigmatization was identified as the critical factor that led to the rebranding of Mathari Mental Hospital to Mathari Hospital.The word ‘’mental ‘’ itself was considered stigmatizing.

Last week while watching a talk show on a local television station where two guests were debating the cases before the International Criminal Court, one of them to hammer the point home that his opponent was perhaps lying, chose to call him a ‘‘mental case’’.The other one replied by saying he had never been to Mathari or any other mental hospital. And the talk show host laughed uproariously. Of course the words might have been said in jest. The words seemed innocuous and added the much needed drama to the show. But reflectively, they portray the lack of awareness and subsequent stigmatisation when it comes to mental health. What comes to the minds of many people when mental illness is mentioned is the image of a haggard and violent man who should only be kept at a place like Mathari or be left to roam the streets, homeless.

 In many Kenyan communities mental health is still mainly associated with witchcraft. Traditional healers are sought and most patients end up not getting proper medication, worsening the situation instead. The situation is compounded in places where there is also rampant drug abuse, for instance Malindi. Today, we also have a mushrooming of churches and this has resulted in a messy mushroom soup as author John Mbiti put it. The dubious preachers ‘’heal’’ all manner of ailments including mental disorders which according to them are simply the work of the devil.

 

The International Institute for Legislative Affairs also notes in its October 2011 digest that mental health unfortunately still carries stigma due to ignorance and/ or social-cultural beliefs about mental health. B ecause of this stigma, many people hesitate to get help for a mental health problem for fear of being looked down upon. This stigma is partly propagated by the media because people with mental disorders are, many times, not described accurately or realistically in the media. News stories sometimes highlight mental illness to create a sensation in a news report. Since the media plays a critical role in shaping the perceptions and opinions of Kenyans it is imperative that it remains sensitive and accurate when reporting about mental health issues. Doing the opposite will only help in propagating the stigma associated with mental illness.

 

When the most vulnerable members of a society are neglected, their specific needs are overlooked. It becomes also difficult to assist in their re-integration into all aspects of community life, thus improving their overall quality of life. Successive governments’ policies and practices have also helped in marginalising mental health and in essence discriminating against persons suffering from mental disorders. This is the time therefore for the digital government to rise to the occasion and bring the sorely needed changes. Otherwise it will not count much if we drill oil and build nice railway lines and super highways yet the vulnerable members of the society are still neglected and their constitutional rights are violated.

The Mental Health Act is outdated and not in line with international standards and the Kenyan constitution and needs to be amended accordingly. But still, Kenya is a perfect example that existence of legislation does not necessarily guarantee the protection of people with mental disorders. Political will is lacking and mental health issues are not taken with the seriousness they deserve.Therefore, political will is much needed to move forward.