Nairobi mothers to benefit from new maternal mental healthcare tool kit

The 'Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit' is a resource for healthcare providers -- meant to support mother's mental health.

Depression and anxiety are some of the perinatal mental health conditions that are highly prevalent in Kenya. 

The Nairobi City County Government launched the tool kit to help mitigate mental health challenges among Nairobi women. 

"The tool kit will significantly bridge the gaps in maternal mental healthcare across the county. The Nairobi City County is taking this vital step toward ensuring that no mother faces her journey alone, thereby building healthier, more resilient families and communities," said the Nairobi County Chief Officer, Public Health Tom Nyakaba.

Indeed, access to specialised care especially for mothers remain limited due to stigma and resource shortages. 

According to Nyakaba, this new toolkit will directly address these barriers by equipping frontline healthcare providers and Community Health Promoters (CHPs) with simple, effective and evidence-based strategies for screening, prevention and care. 

"The resource is grounded in the lived experiences and voices of mothers and providers from major health centres. Addressing these challenges is not only a health priority but also a social and economic imperative," said Dr. Oda Mirimo, representing Chief Officer Medical Services, Nairobi County.

"The toolkit’s implementation will enable healthcare providers to more effectively support mothers, reduce stigma and discrimination, and improve the availability and acceptability of essential maternal mental health services in the county."

The summit toolkit is the result of extensive collaboration with SUMMIT Study Kenya and strategic partners, underscoring a unified approach to public health.   

The initiative is spearheaded by the SUMMIT PIs, Dr. Carol Ngunu (Director of Preventive Promotive Health, NCCG) and Prof. Manasi Kumar (NYU-Grossman School Of Medicine/UoN/WHO-MBH Advisory Board) with support from Shillah Mwavua and Joseph Kathono (NCCG); Dr. Beatrice Madeghe, Dr. Obadiah Yator, Dr. Nabila Ali, Vincent Nyongesa, and Esther Kihara (SUMMIT).

Dr. Mercy Karanja, Head Ministry of Health’s Division of Mental Health, Dr. Catherine Wanjiku(MOH) and Stella Waruingi(NCCG), also played a pivotal role, ensuring the toolkits alignment with national policies and WHO frameworks.