NAIROBI, Kenya – Despite growing public awareness and policy discussions on mental health, Kenya continues to neglect mental healthcare in its national budget, allocating a mere 0.001 per cent of the total health budget to the sector.
A new report by civil society groups—submitted to the UN ahead of the upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle—highlights severe underfunding, a shortage of mental health professionals, and systemic legal hurdles that have left millions of Kenyans struggling to access care.
The report shows that Kenya spends less than a cent per person annually on mental health services, far below the $1.16 (Sh150) per capita recommended by global health experts.
For comparison, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that countries allocate at least five per cent of their health budgets to mental health.
Similarly, the Abuja Declaration advises African nations to commit at least 15 per cent of their total national budgets to healthcare.
Yet, in the 2022/23 financial year, Kenya’s national health budget stood at Sh123 billion, representing just 3.69 per cent of the total budget and 0.97 per cent of GDP—falling well short of global benchmarks.
This chronic underfunding has forced Kenyans to pay out-of-pocket for mental healthcare services, pushing many into poverty or leaving them untreated.
With mental health services largely inaccessible at the county and community levels, a significant number of people—particularly in rural areas—are left without proper care.
Beyond financial constraints, Kenya faces an acute shortage of mental health professionals.
The report estimates that Kenya has only 100 psychiatrists, translating to one psychiatrist per one million people—far below the recommended minimum of one per 10,000 patients.
The Ministry of Health estimates that the country needs at least 1,400 more psychiatrists, 7,000 more psychiatric nurses, and 3,000 more psychologists
Even among existing professionals, a majority work in private practice—mostly in Nairobi—making services inaccessible to most Kenyans.
The report also highlights legal hurdles that have worsened the crisis.
Until recently, attempted suicide was a criminal offense, discouraging people in distress from seeking help.
Although the High Court recently struck down the law, other legal and policy gaps persist, including the partial implementation of the Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 2022 and Kenya Mental Health Policy (2015-2030)
Failure to fully implement these frameworks has stalled access to quality mental health services, the report notes.
During the last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2020, Kenya committed to improving mental health legislation and services.
However, while some progress has been made—including repealing outdated laws—the country still lags behind in funding and workforce development.
As the fourth UPR cycle approaches, civil society groups are urging the government to scale up mental health investment, implement existing policies, and prioritize the recruitment of mental health professionals.
Without urgent intervention, millions of Kenyans will continue to suffer in silence, unable to access the care they need.
