The government has raised concern over importation of certain cigar and novel tobacco products designed exclusively for the Kenyan market.
Consequently, Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni has castigated their manufacturers, urging them to first sell such products in their countries of origin before introducing them locally.
Muthoni was speaking during the Mental Health Nurses’ Chapter 27th annual scientific conference held in Laikipia, under the theme, Advancing Mental Health Innovation, Inclusion and Integrated Care for a Resilient Future.
The three-day conference, sponsored by Jonhson and Johnson Foundation, brought together over 400 psychiatrist nurses across the 47 counties, aimed at developing innovative strategies to counter mental illnesses including the rising cases of suicides and also mitigate the effects of climate change in health disorders.
The PS described the event as a strong call to action, citing data from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), which discloses that more than two million Kenyans are affected by alcohol use disorders.
“Recognizing rise of substance abuse, we are prioritizing the establishment of rehabilitation centres in high burden regions across the country and at the same time decentralizing the action services and support reintegration,” she said.
Muthoni further highlighted worrying trends from institutions of higher learning, which indicate that up to half of university students have consumed alcohol, while a significant proportion have experimented with cannabis (bhang), tobacco and other substances.
“Half of the university students have used alcohol while a significant number experiment with bhang and other substances. If left unattended this problem will continue to suppress our socio- economic development,” cautioned the PS.
She warned that these patterns are closely linked to rising cases of depression, anxiety, declining academic performance, and loss of productivity among the youth, factors that threaten the future of our nation.
On mental health, the PS revealed that one in every four Kenyans suffers from a mental health condition, stressing that healthcare professionals are equally vulnerable.
The PS described mental health as a pressing social and economic imperative that requires sustained national action, pointing out that globally, one in every eight people lives with a mental health condition, with depression remaining the leading cause of disability.
On health, Muthoni reaffirmed the Kenya Kwanza administration’s commitment to the Afya Nyumbani initiative, which aims to integrate mental health services into community health programs, primary healthcare facilities, and household-level interventions through community health promoters.
She expressed the government’s readiness to embrace innovative, locally driven, affordable, and scalable solutions including tele-counselling, tele-psychiatry and data-driven systems to extend quality mental health services to rural and marginalized communities.
“Mental health is a shared responsibility and we must strengthen our collaboration across health, education, social protection and the private sector because diseases know no boundaries,” she urged.
Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu stated that his administration has allocated over 40 percent of its annual budget to healthcare services.
He noted that in a bid to support health workers and address mental health challenges, the county government had absorbed contract staff into permanent and pensionable terms.
By Muturi Mwangi
