Why Mental Health

Each year one in four Kenyans will experience a mental health problem. One in ten children needs support or treatment for their mental health condition. These can range from short spells of depression or anxiety through to severe and persistent conditions that are massively disruptive, frightening and life threatening for those who experience them.

These mental health problems can also have a terrible impact on people’s physical health. People with schizophrenia are almost twice as likely to die from heart disease as the general population,  and four times more likely to die from respiratory diseases. For young people, mental illness is strongly associated with behaviours that pose a risk to their health, such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse and risky sexual behaviour.

So the impact of these conditions on individuals of all ages, their friends and families can be very high. The impact on society and the economy is massive particularly if individuals are unable to access effective, timely treatment.

​PDO is working with various stakeholders to help mainstream mental health in our society.