PDO's COVID-19 Mental Health Response
Recognition: Pamoja is one of UNAIDS Ten Global Innovations
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BACKGROUND
Psychiatric Disability Organization (PDO) is a user-led mental health organization based in Nakuru, Kenya. Mental Health lived experience experts and psychotherapists formed PDO. Our aim is to increase access to quality, community-based mental health services among the underserved populations.
We operate in Nakuru, Nyandarua, Baringo and Kericho counties. Pamoja initiative is our award winning community innovation model of service delivery at the grassroots.
We operate in Nakuru, Nyandarua, Baringo and Kericho counties. Pamoja initiative is our award winning community innovation model of service delivery at the grassroots.
Pamoja Initiative
In Kenya, studies show that 10.8% of Kenyans have a mental illness at any point in time. However, the government invests just 0.01% of the health expenditure on mental health and has only 62 government psychiatrists serving 49 million Kenyans. Consequently, mental health services remain practically inaccessible to most Kenyans particularly those who need it most – the poor and marginalized groups.
Bridging the gap
Mental illness can be a very lonely place to be, especially when no help seems to be forthcoming. Pamoja means ‘we are one’ in Kiswahili. The #PamojaInitiative is about reaching out and bringing help to the many who suffer without help.
Our biggest strength and unique selling point is our approach that integrates two very critical skills set in our programming – expert by lived experience and expert by training, the community innovation we call Pamoja Initiative.
Pamoja is a community-based recovery model anchored on a technology and community based psychosocial support. Our outpatient clinic is supported by the Wellbeing Lounge, Pamoja's mental health unit on wheels, and network of local non-specialist mental health lay workers at the grassroots with specialists located far away via video conference technology enabling underserved communities access highest quality services at their doorstep.
Bridging the gap
Mental illness can be a very lonely place to be, especially when no help seems to be forthcoming. Pamoja means ‘we are one’ in Kiswahili. The #PamojaInitiative is about reaching out and bringing help to the many who suffer without help.
Our biggest strength and unique selling point is our approach that integrates two very critical skills set in our programming – expert by lived experience and expert by training, the community innovation we call Pamoja Initiative.
Pamoja is a community-based recovery model anchored on a technology and community based psychosocial support. Our outpatient clinic is supported by the Wellbeing Lounge, Pamoja's mental health unit on wheels, and network of local non-specialist mental health lay workers at the grassroots with specialists located far away via video conference technology enabling underserved communities access highest quality services at their doorstep.
A 3-pronged approach
Advocacy, affordable treatment and social support are the initiatives focus areas.
The innovation has won accolades international including being featured in the UNAIDS Ten Global Community Innovation booklet of 2020. It has three pillars;
Advocacy, affordable treatment and social support are the initiatives focus areas.
The innovation has won accolades international including being featured in the UNAIDS Ten Global Community Innovation booklet of 2020. It has three pillars;
- Task-shifting – we employ a stepped care approach where lived experience experts are trained as task-shifted lay counsellors and mental health champions in their community.
- Telepsychiatry – We use a video link to connect these task-shifted lay counselors and their clients at the community with PDO specialists locally and abroad for instant referral services, consultation, training and supervision.
- Cultural adaptation – our model is home grown and culturally sensitive. It has needs adapted interventions that were refined through feedback from local stakeholders and the our clients.
Click to view the Mental Health Task Force report
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Click to download the Kenya Mental Health Action Plan Report
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