Ministry of Health launches mental health guidelines for employees
By George.Kebaso, September 15, 2023An estimated 3.7 million Kenyan workers are living with a mental health condition, with experts calling on the government to find urgent ways of raising the state of well-being among employees.
And yesterday, the Ministry of Health moved to arrest this situation by launching guidelines to promote mental resilience in the country’s workplace.
According to the Kenya Mental Health Investment Case 2021, the estimated economic burden on account of mental health conditions on the Kenyan economy was Sh62.2 billion ($571.8 million), an equivalent loss of 0.6 percent of the GDP in 2020.
An estimated 91 per cent of this annual cost was attributed to premature mortality, absenteeism and presenteeism while health care expenditure accounted for a mere 9 per cent. The study also found that interventions for depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorder have significant return on investment over 10 to 20 years.
“This clearly demonstrates that it is prudent to invest in mental health at the workplaces as the benefits transcend beyond health to increased productivity and socioeconomic development,” Health Cabinet Secretary, Susan Nakhumicha (pictured) said at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital (MNTRH).
Harmful work environment
She attributed the rising numbers of mental instability among Kenyan employees on a harmful work environment. This, in remarks presented by Acting Director General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, the CS noted can significantly contribute to physical and mental health problems; harmful use of alcohol and substances.
“This can greatly exacerbate existing mental illnesses,” she added.
The most common mental health conditions in Kenya include anxiety; depression, substance use disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar mood disorder.
Work is described as a social determinant of mental health, and therefore meaningful labour is protective for mental health contributing to a sense of accomplishment, financial independence, confidence, recovery, and inclusion of persons living with mental health conditions.