Mental health need to be decentralized, says Senator Sylvia Kasanga

Nominated
Senator Sylvia Kasanga has warned that the coronavirus pandemic has proved
fetal to human beings, which poses grave mental health issues once it is
contained.

Speaking at
an interview with a local TV station, Senator Kasanga said the government need
to take early measures to deal with probable mental health

“Mental
health needs to be decentralized in this country. We have to deal with these
issues from the grassroots level. Since 1989, the mental health act has never
been amended,” said Senator Kasanga.

The Senator said
mental health issues have never been given a priority in the country, due to
lack of proper legislation.

“We don’t
have the the capacity to address mental health issues due to lack of legislation,
my bill calls for both national and county gvt to set aside budget for mental
health,” she said.

Ms. Kasanga
said she is engaging various stakeholders, including health CS Mutahi Kagwe in
a bid to advocate for mental health amendments.

The bill has
already passed its first reading and awaits the second reading, once the parliament
resumes session.

“I hope that
things go well and the pandemic contained, we will be proceeding to the second
reading of the bill,” added the senator.

The bill
proposes a framework to promote the mental health and well-being of all
persons, including reducing the incidences of mental illness, co-ordinate the
prevention of mental illness, access to mental health care, treatment and
rehabilitation services of persons with mental illness.