The Ministry of Health, through the Kenya Medical Training College in collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has launched the 2026 Africa Mental Health Leadership and Advocacy Programme, positioning Kenya as a regional hub for mental health training and capacity building.
The two-week programme has brought together participants from 17 African countries, up from 52 participants across 11 countries in its inaugural cohort last year, reflecting growing continental momentum to strengthen mental health systems.
Presiding over the launch, Principal Secretary (PS) for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni Muriuki, emphasised the growing burden of mental health conditions, noting that one in four patients in Kenya presents with a mental health concern.
She highlighted ongoing government efforts to strengthen the sector through policy and legal reforms, including the Mental Health Policy, Mental Health Action Plan, and the Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 2022, which advances a rights-based approach to care.
Importantly, Muriuki underscored the need to integrate mental health into primary healthcare, expand community-based services, strengthen the workforce, and improve data systems to support decision-making.
“The programme is designed to equip participants with practical skills in leadership, governance, advocacy, research and public mental health to enhance access to quality services across Africa,” explained the PS
The launch was attended by Dr Mohamed Abdullaziz of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, KMTC Board Chairperson Dr Joseah Cheruiyot, KMTC Chief Executive Officer Dr Kelly Oluoch, and other stakeholders.
By Michael Omondi
