The Kenya Psychiatric Association (KPA) in partnership with the Chiromo Group Hospital held a media breakfast meeting on Thursday, May 11 to talk about media and mental health.
The speakers of the day emphasized the use of media in creating mental health awareness and called for partnership and collaboration during the mental awareness month.
While speaking during the event, KPA President Dr. Bonface Chitayi said Kenya is one of the few countries with updated mental health laws lauding the government for putting in efforts to invest in mental health matters.
He however noted that despite the mental health talks, the government needs to invest more in the sector, adding that they should allocate at least 13% of the budget towards mental health matters.
Dr. Chitayi further opined that suicide should not be criminalized as it is a matter of mental health.
While referring to the Shakahola tragedy, the Kenya Psychiatric Association President noted that mental illnesses can lead people to unhealthy beliefs. He noted that hopelessness, extreme poverty, chronic diseases, and depression can make people easily swayed into unorthodox beliefs.
Furthermore, Dr. Chitayi explained that KPA plays a huge advocacy role in several issues including.
- Advisory on the total abolishment of corporal punishment in schools
- Advisory against gun-ownership
- Advisory on handling cases of substance use
- Creation of public mental health awareness
Also Read: Understanding Mental Health
Reporting Mental Health Issues
While urging journalists to participate in the May mental awareness campaign 2023 themed ‘Violence and Mental health,” Dr. Nyamute said conversations on mental health issues should be normalized.
She asked journalists to also lay focus on covering success stories of mental health survivors to help change the narrative. She challenged media personnel to seek verified expert opinions before publishing health matters to avoid transmission of false information.
Other pointers the speakers of the day noted include increasing coverage on mental health, developing guidelines to addressing the issues, avoiding double coverage, detailing and publishing suicide notes.
According to the doctors, such materials may motivate more cases of the same including death by suicide.
HOTLINE: Red Cross – 1199
: Chiromo Hospital Group – 0800220000 (Toll Free,24hrs)
