NAIROBI, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Monday launched a World Health Organization (WHO)-backed framework to curb mental illness, officials said.
The Problem Management Plus (PM+) framework will help Kenya deal with its shortage of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and medical social workers, Jackson Kioko, director of medical services at the Ministry of Health, told a media briefing in Nairobi
"With this framework, the ministry of health will bridge the gap of primary mental health care by providing guidance on psychological interventions for people exposed to adversities," Kioko said.
The framework is based on recommendations of the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Program which, says that some mental health interventions can be simplified so that they can be quickly learned not only by professionals but also by people who are not mental health professionals.
According to data from the ministry of health, one in four people in Kenya will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lives, equating to some 11.5 million Kenyans.
Kioko said the ministry of health is proud to be a leader in finding cost-effective practical solutions to expanding mental health care to those living in adversity, and in need of quality care.
He said that the framework has been adapted from the WHO and as such may be applied beyond Kenya and support other nations, particularly those in Africa, to roll out evidence-based treatment to communities.
Kioko said one of the major barriers to the provision of essential mental health services is the shortage and inequitable distribution of skilled and qualified health personnel.
Rudolf Eggers, WHO representative in Kenya, said PM+ will add value to Universal Health Coverage, a national priority agenda.
"By launching and subsequent implementation of the framework by both professional and non-professional workers, at all levels of health care, and especially at the community level, many persons who are undergoing mental adversities will be reached," he added.
According to the WHO, there are tens of millions of people in the world who live in extremely difficult circumstances and suffer emotionally.
"As a result, a range of mental health and psycho-social supports need to be available, including psychological interventions. However, these interventions are rarely accessible to those who need them," Eggers said.
