Kenya’s mental health gap persists as new plan seeks nationwide access
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 - Kenya faces a deepening mental health crisis, with four suicides reported daily and an estimated 75 percent of people who need Kenya breaking news | Kenya news today |..
✨ Key Highlights
Kenya is grappling with a severe mental health crisis, reporting four suicides daily and leaving an estimated 75 percent of those needing care without access. A new plan was presented to integrate mental health services nationwide through the country's Universal Health Coverage framework.
- Suicide rates are approximately 11 per 100,000 people, with a severe shortage of professionals, including only 116 psychiatrists and 30 clinical psychologists for a population exceeding 50 million.
- The plan was presented by Mercy Mwende, COO of Thalia Psychotherapy (Mindful Kenya), at the 2025 Devolution Conference in Homa Bay.
- The proposed model aims to leverage existing health infrastructure, deploy trained practitioners, and use digital screening tools to make mental health care part of routine services.
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Kenya Unveils Mental Health Plan; Govt Pushes Health PPPs; Court Orders AAR to Pay Sh2.19mn Bill - August 2025
Kenya is addressing a severe mental health crisis where an estimated 75% of those needing care lack access, with a new plan presented to integrate mental health services nationwide via Universal Health Coverage. Concurrently, the Kenyan government is advocating for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to drive digital health transformation and offset declining donor funding. This follows the abrupt shutdown of USAID operations. In a separate development, the High Court has ordered AAR Insurance to pay a Sh2.19 million medical bill for a customer's post-delivery complications, ruling that the insurer had unlawfully refused the coverage.
