The Mount Kenya University (MKU) has mooted a programme that aims at addressing the challenges amongst students as one of the ways to eradicate depression.
In collaboration with the Chiromo Hospital Group, the institution held an event under the Group’s programme known as ‘Tufunguke’ which loosely translated means ‘Lets open up’. The programme targets University Students and aims at breaking the stigma around mental health issues.
Speaking during the event, the campus Director Charles Karuga made his remarks on the importance of the topic at hand and officially opened the session.
He thanked Princess Njeri Ngugi (MKUSA Secretary-General) and Lisa Wanjiku (Miss MKU Nairobi chapter) for their leading role in organizing the event.
The chief guest, Roy Sasaka gave a brief presentation on the importance of having good mental health and how it plays a major role in the development of every youth.
The Chiromo Hospital Group’s presentation was made by Gathoni Mbugua a clinical psychologist and the Head of Digital Relations at the Chiromo Hospital.
MKU O3 Plus (Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future) projects create awareness on physical and mental health, unplanned pregnancies, reduction of HIV infections.
The O3 plus project is dedicated to ensure that young people in higher and tertiary education institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe realise positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes through sustained reductions in new HIV infections, unintended pregnancy, and gender-based violence.
Despite the well-outlined guidelines and priority actions in the mental health policy in Kenya, the country still faces many challenges in regard to the provision of optimal and affordable mental health care and treatment.
One of the biggest challenges is low awareness of mental disorders particularly, the symptoms of these conditions among the persons suffering from the condition and the community at large.