By Jabali Media
Kenyans were on Saturday warned against enlisting the services of traditional healers and religious leaders, as to-go-to persons to solve medical challenges.
Addressing the press in Kisumu during World Bipolar Day celebrations, Dr. Fredick Oluoch, Kisumu County’s Director for Public Health and Sanitation said every health condition, including bipolar needs medical attention so as to effectively be addressed.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings, a condition that director Oluoch insisted can only be treated in a health facility.
“Sometimes because of sociocultural issues, some illnesses like bipolar which can easily be treated in the hospital end up in traditional healers' hands or religious leaders' hands. Truth be told, these are people who cannot diagnose what specific cause of the illness is,” said Dr. Oluoch.
Bipolar like any other mental illness, he said, can be treated if the condition is diagnosed early enough.
As such, the director said the county government of Kisumu has put measures in place to ensure those affected receive the relevant support they urgently need.
“As a county, we have mental health educators who are screening within the communities, working together with community health promoters to assess from the households those who might be having mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, and then linking them to nearby health facilities where they are seen by clinicians, medical personnel and then they are given treatment, medication, and sometimes get referral to our county referral hospital where there are admission services,” he stated.
World Bipolar Day is marked every March 30 each year to raise awareness and challenge stigma around bipolar disorder., with the first celebrations having been held 15 years ago.
In Kenya, the day was first marked in 2019. The Day was marked today since 30th falls on a Sunday.
Director Oluoch was flanked by Dr. Patrick Boruett, Executive Director, Bipolar Heroes Foundation who has lived with the condition for over 10 years.
The condition, he added, can be treated and managed.
“Bipolar is a condition that can be treated and managed and people can live and realize their full potential. So, for that to happen, we require timely diagnosis and also access to good treatment,” said Dr. Boruett.
“As a country, we have few experts in mental health illness. And you'll find the concentration is mainly in urban areas. So, that means we need to strengthen diagnosis at the community level and immediate referral and minimize the long journeys that people go through,” he added.
This year’s theme is “Bipolar Strong.”
