World Mental Health Day took place on October 10th - to mark this global event we’ve seen multiple organisations rally together to raise awareness for this particular silent illness. Many people can attest to the effect of the pandemic on their overall wellbeing, COVID-19 has shown that the need for mental health support is crucial and needs more investment. 67% of Kenyans said to be extremely worried about COVID-19 in June 2020, a 17% rise in one month’s time. The Kenyan happiness index is down by 10% in 2020 compared to 5 years go.
With the effects of COVID-19 highly evident on mental health, this year’s World Mental Health Day is calling for a massive scale up in investment in mental health with the theme move for mental health: let’s invest.
In our latest article we discuss the impact that COVID-19 has on mental health in Kenya. We also speak to Dr. Victor Vicens, Chief Medical officer and Psychiatrist at Abi Global Health, who shares his experience on how COVID-19 has impacted mental health. Abi’s international doctor advisory service that allows you to connect with doctors, is also part of the SmartHealth International offering.
