Where to access mental health care in Nairobi
Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has shared names of 23 health facilities where residents can access mental healthcare and psychological support services,
The move comes amid rising cases of suicide and mental illness in the city.
The facilities, comprising Level I, II, and IV, are distributed in 11 sub-counties with each having a specific day where a patient can access the services.
The services include psychiatry, counseling and psychotherapy, mental wellness clinic, school mental health, community mental health, child and adolescents’ mental health assessments as well as epilepsy clinic.
The Level IV facilities are Mama Lucy Hospital in Embakasi West, Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Kamukunji, Mbagathi Hospital in Langata, and Mutuini Hospital in Dagoretti South sub-County.
The Level II and III facilities include Dandora II, Karibangi North and Kasarani health centres in Kasarani sub-County; Mukuru kwa Njenga, Embakasi East and Soweto-Kayole health centres, all in Embakasi East sub-County.
Others are Kangemi and Westlands health centres, Mji wa Huruma dispensary and Lower Kabete health centre in Westlands, Kayole II and Umoja health centres in Embakasi West, Ngara Health Centre and Ngara Methadone Clinic as well as Ngara Child-Friendly clinic which is the only centre providing child and adolescents’ mental health assessments services between Monday and Friday.
The remaining centres are Waithaka and Uthiru-Muthua in Dagoretti South sub-County; Mathare North and Kahawa West health centres in Ruaraka; Lang’ata, Kibera Amref, and Kibera DO health centres in Lang’ata sub-County, and Lunga Lunga, Makadara and Jericho health centres in Makadara sub-County.
“We do not want to lose our youths. We have dedicated our health services to take care of mental health by ensuring that we recruit enough psychiatrists and mental care experts,” said NMS Director General Mr Badi.
“The recruits will be posted in all the Level III hospitals across the county to ensure that mental health care services are offered without fail,” he added.
Nairobi recorded 64 suicides and 39 assault cases between March and June 2021, according to data released by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in July.
The capital city ranks third to Rift Valley with 68 suicides and 106 assault cases, while Nyanza is second with 67 suicides and 51 assault cases over the same period of time.