Nairobi — With one in four Kenyans is expected to experience a mental health challenge in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Kenya is confronting a silent epidemic.
Behind closed doors and across busy streets, a growing number of citizens -- young and old alike -- are grappling with stress, depression, addiction, and other mental disorders.
Experts warn that without urgent, coordinated action, the country risks a worsening social and economic crisis.
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The Ministry of Health estimates that at least 25 per cent of outpatients and 40 per cent of inpatients in Kenyan hospitals suffer from a mental health condition.
The Taskforce on Mental Health (2020) put illnesses such as depression, suicide, substance use disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia at 13 per cent of Kenya's total disease burden.
The task team observed that years of neglect in mental health services are "haunting us as a nation."
It called for "new, innovative and appropriate approaches" to address what they termed a growing "monster" born of under-investment in policy and systems.
According to the Mental Health Investment Case (2021), untreated mental health conditions and lost productivity impose an estimated national cost of Sh62.2 billion annually -- roughly 0.6 per cent of GDP.
Health reforms
After years of neglect, Kenya's mental health system is now undergoing historic reforms.
In 2025, the government integrated mental health services into the national insurance benefits package under the Taifa Care Model and the Social Health Authority (SHA), anchoring mental healthcare firmly within the country's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework.
Speaking at the opening of the 2nd National Mental Health Conference in Nairobi, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the inclusion of mental health under SHA ensures that "no Kenyan has to choose between caring for their mind and feeding their family."
He invoked the slogan "Afya Bora kwa Wakenya Wote" -- "quality healthcare for every Kenyan without financial hardship."
Under the theme "Securing the Future: A Holistic Approach to Mental Health for Generations," the conference convened stakeholders from government, academia, civil society, and international partners to help chart Kenya's roadmap toward becoming a mentally healthier nation.
Duale emphasized that the Mental Health Act (2023) and the Kenya Mental Health Policy (2015-2030) now underpin a transformational shift in how mental health is viewed, financed, and delivered -- positioning mental wellbeing as a human right guaranteeing dignity, access, and protection.
A central pillar of reform is the decentralization of mental health services through around 107,000 digitally empowered Community Health Promoters (CHPs).
The frontline workers are meant to provide early, person-centred support and link communities to services closer to home -- a major milestone under the Taifa Care Model.
Bridging the treatment gap
Despite reform momentum, Kenya still faces a large treatment gap with the Ministry of Health estimating that 75 per cent of people with mental health conditions remain untreated.
To address this, in September 2024 the ministry launched Kenya's first Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Common Mental Disorders, coupled with a Kenya-adapted version of the WHO's mhGAP (Mental Health Gap Action Programme).
According to the guidelines, 42 per cent of individuals seeking primary care in Kenya present with severe depression, while the national prevalence of common mental disorders stands at 10.3 per cent.
Health Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth acknowledged that low mental health literacy among primary healthcare workers has contributed to chronic underdiagnosis.
The new guidelines and accompanying e-training aim to bolster their capacity to identify, diagnose, and refer mental illnesses across the country.
Developed in collaboration with PEPFAR, CDC, and Johnson and Johnson, the guidelines seek to help close the 75 per cent treatment gap by expanding the ability of primary care providers to manage mental health conditions locally.
National baseline survey
To strengthen future planning and resource allocation, Kenya is preparing its first-ever National Baseline Mental Health Survey.
The Mental Health Advisory Task Force, chaired by Dr. Amoth, will oversee the study, expected to yield the first nationally representative data on prevalence, treatment gaps, and socioeconomic drivers of mental health conditions.
"Current data [is] fragmented and localised," said Dr. Bashir Isaak, Head of Family Health at the Ministry.
"This survey will give us a true picture of what is happening in communities."
The findings will inform policy, guide investments, and support advocacy -- addressing one of the biggest gaps flagged by the 2020 Taskforce: the lack of comprehensive national data.
Cost and human toll
From overworked police officers and teachers to families battling depression and addiction, the social impact of poor mental health is visible across Kenya.
In 2024, Kenya reportedly recorded a 52 per cent rise in suicides compared to 2017, based on police data -- though experts suspect the real numbers are much higher due to underreporting, stigma, and the criminalization of attempted suicide.
The 2020 Taskforce repeatedly called for decriminalization of suicide attempts, arguing that punishment only deepens suffering and impedes reporting and treatment.
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"Removing the criminal label ... will encourage early treatment and more accurate data," the report stated.
Subsequent to the call, the High Court declared Section 226 of the Penal Code (criminalizing attempted suicide) unconstitutional in a landmark ruling on January 9, 2025 , marking a major shift.
With the verdict unchallenged in superior courts, individuals with suicidal behaviour are no longer liable for prosecution but eligible for medical care.
Beyond suffering, untreated mental illness costs Kenya billions in lost productivity.
Depressed farmers harvest less, factory workers struggle with focus, and absenteeism burdens every sector.
Experts agree that solutions are within reach. Kenya must continue expanding community-based services, strengthening insurance coverage, and deploying digital mental health tools including telepsychiatry and e-counselling.
Teachers, parents, and religious leaders have a critical role in early detection and prevention -- especially since half of all mental disorders begin before age 14.
As the taskforce on mental health warned, "Kenya can no longer keep burying its head in the sand."
With stronger policies, new clinical tools, and committed leadership driving reform, the next frontier is not exposing the crisis -- it's ensuring that every Kenyan can access quality mental healthcare without stigma or financial strain.
