Mental Health in Kenya: An Appraisal of the Mental Health Amendment Bill 2018

Abstract

The mind is a rudimentary faculty in a human being. It controls the cognitive functions such as imagination, perception, thinking, consciousness, language, memory and judgment. In addition, it controls the non-cognitive functions such as emotions. The faculty influences our physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of our lives. An impairment of the mind disrupts the daily activities of a human being. It causes a human being to behave abnormally. A damage of the mind makes a human mentally unwell. The deterioration of the mind is known as mental illness. According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that one in four people in the world are affected by mental illness. Further, it is estimated that around 450 million human beings in the world suffer from mental illness and; the World Health Organization places it among the dominant causes of ill-health and inability worldwide. However, about two-thirds of people with a known mental impairment never seek help from a health practitioner. These individuals experience stigma and discrimination due to the perception held by the society. The society brands them as ‘mad people’. Moreover, some of them are neglected by their family members. Their kin fear being associated with them. The mind is affected by the environment, genetics of a person, social or cultural background of a person; and physical factors such as accidents. Stress and depression cause the mind to be mentally unhealthy. Kenya is ranked by the World Health Organization as the sixth African country with the highest rates of depression. The youth are the most affected with depression due to unemployment and the hard economic times in the country. The poor are also affected by mental illness and lack access to treatment. Moreover, they keep to themselves so that they are not noticed by the society. They know that the moment they get noticed, they will be categorized as insane, crazy and derailed fellows who deserve to be taken to a mental hospital. The World Health Organization imposes an obligation on the states to cater for the health of their people and this can only be ‘fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures’. The world Health Organization defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. Therefore, governments in the world ,including the government of Kenya, are required to play a role in the mental wellness of their citizens. The Mental Health Amendment Bill 2018 awaits the National Assembly for it to be passed. Is it the right time that parliament enacts this bill? The country is in the midst of a scourge that has caused a tremendous effect in the world. The economies of countries in the world, including Kenya, have been brought to their knees. Many jobs have been lost. The pandemic has hit the people hard and some of them wonder where they will get money in order for them to afford basic necessities such as food, shelter and clothing. This is a stressful situation in the country and the most affected are the peasants. The mental well-being of the citizens of the country is at stake. Will the bill sufficiently address the issue of mental health in Kenya?