Members of the Kirinyaga County Assembly have directed the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Medical Services, to allocate additional resources towards refurbishment of the only Mental Health Unit in the County at Kerugoya Referral Hospital.
Through a Motion, which was tabled by the Health Committee Vice Chairperson Grace Kamau, Members were apprehensive that failure to allocate additional resources and personnel at the facility would be detrimental to hundreds of patients who visit the facility monthly.
According to Ms. Kamau, the facility served 525 outpatient clients in the Month of April this year alone, pointing to the need for the County Government to upgrade the facility with utmost urgency.
Furthermore, the vice chair noted that drugs and substance abuse continue to complicate the war against mental illnesses hence the need for concerted efforts to break the menace.
“Substance abuse continues to worsen the mental landscape in Kirinyaga. According to the 2022 NACADA National survey, use of alcohol and Cannabis among youth and young adults, is on the rise. These trends are clearly observable in Kirinyaga hence the need for coordinated substance abuse response at the community level” Ms. Kamau noted.
Kanyekine Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), Moses Migwi, noted that the motion was timely hence the need to incorporate the recommendations in the upcoming budget.
“I note with concern that we have allocated a total of Sh. 400 Million towards the upgrade of Kimbimbi and Kianyaga Sub County Hospitals, yet nothing has been allocated towards refurbishment of the Mental Health Unit. I wish to urge the Concern committee to see to it that there is money allocated towards refurbishment of the Mental Health Facility,” Migwi said.
Similar sentiments were aired by Mutira Ward MCA, David Kinyua, who regretted the sad state of affairs at the mental health unit in the County.
“We will stamp our voices and ensure that we include a budget towards the mental health unit; joblessness and drug abuse are some of the major causes of mental health illnesses thus the reason why Government must prioritize prevention which is better than cure, ”Kinyua said
Kiini Ward MCA who is also the Budget and appropriation Chair, Geoffrey Gakuru, noted that the situation in most health facilities is yet to improve despite passage of the Kirinyaga County Health Facilities Improvement Fund Act, which ordinarily, sanctioned health facilities to spend money collected to improve services. He was also concerned that the County Public Service Board (CPSB), which has the sole responsibility of recruiting personnel, is yet to replace 60 medical personnel who have since left service.
“I do not understand why the CPSB went ahead to recruit drivers instead of replacing medical personnel who have exited service. They should have recruited medical personnel to bridge the gap currently being experienced at our medical facilities,” Gakuru noted.
Beatrice Mitaru, who represents the interests of People living with disability, urged the County Executive through the health department to increase access to mental health clinics in remote parts of the County.
By Mutai Kipngetich
