Mentally ill patients and those with drug addiction in South Nyanza region are poised to benefit from a mental health and rehabilitation facility that has been opened in Kisii town.
Oasis Specialist Hospital yesterday launched the center dubbed ‘Oasis Specialist Mental and Rehabilitation Center’ at the already existing premises in the county headquarters to cater to the ever-increasing number of mentally ill patients in the area.
Gracing the occasion, the hospital director, Dr. Kepha Othiambo Makanyengo noted that the move was a milestone coming after initiation of the hospital 15 years ago.
Dr. Makanyengo who is also one of the hospital’s founder members described the center as important saying mental health issues were not recognized globally even by international organizations until after founding of the World Health Organization.
He expressed empathy at how patients were up to date being hidden from the society worsening their situations.
Appealing to the residents to seek help at the facility, the director said physical health was inclusive of mental wellness and welcomed the society to support the institution by reaching out to those in need.
Psychiatrist Fridah Gesiora underscored the importance of awareness creation in the society saying at least one in every four people had a mental issue.
Gesiora, who noted that Kenya was currently ranked 4th among countries with the highest cases of depression, urged medics to handle mental illness like any other disease and eliminate myths that it was witchcraft.
She cited various symptoms, including sleeplessness, mood swings, emotional imbalance, isolation, and suicidal tendencies, among others.
She said the facility had a confinement section for the aggressive and suicidal patients until the medication starts working.
Gesiora explained that response to treatment depended on individual patients although most showed improvement.
Harriet Wambui, a psychologist noted that addiction and mental illness were diseases that impacted not only the patient but also the whole family and community.
Wambui explained that the facility was set to offer holistic care like occupational therapy, counselling, speech therapy and psychiatry without making any referrals.
Wambui said all insurances catered for mental illnesses, and some for addiction too.
She explained that seeking help was not a weakness and urged the society to present their dear ones for treatment instead of leaving them to roam on the streets.
She added that the capacity of the center was 35 inpatients at a time, who are being handled by three psychologists, two clinical officer psychiatrists and one consultant psychiatrist.
Causes of mental illness, she said were genetics, stress, job issues, and personality, with the most affected age group being between 15 and 29 years, among whom suicide is the leading cause of death.
The hospital administrator, Patrick Bosire, said Oasis Hospital apart from the mental health wing, is a multidisciplinary hospital for all other illnesses like gynecology, surgeries, laboratories and oncology among others.
By Jane Naitore
