The Nairobi City County Government has launched a
groundbreaking resource aimed at revolutionising maternal mental healthcare –
the Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit: Supporting Mothers’ Mental Health, a
Resource for Healthcare Providers.
The toolkit, developed in collaboration with the SUMMIT
Study Kenya team and key strategic partners, seeks to address the growing
burden of perinatal mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety,
which remain highly prevalent among women in Kenya.
Speaking during the launch, Chief Guest and County Chief
Officer for Public Health, Tom Nyakaba, hailed the toolkit as a major
milestone in bridging existing gaps in maternal mental health services across
the county.
“This evidence-based resource is set to significantly bridge
the gaps in maternal mental healthcare across the county. Perinatal mental
health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety, are highly prevalent in
Kenya,” said Nyakaba.
He noted that access to specialised care remains limited due
to stigma, low awareness, and inadequate resources.
The new toolkit, he explained, directly addresses these
barriers by equipping frontline healthcare providers and Community Health
Promoters (CHPs) with simple, practical, and evidence-based strategies for
screening, prevention, and care.
“By adopting these strategies, Nairobi City County takes a
vital step towards ensuring that no mother faces her journey alone, thereby
building healthier, more resilient families and communities,” he added.
Representing the Chief Officer for Medical Services, Dr Oda
Mirimo emphasised the importance of the toolkit’s focus on lived experiences.
“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,” she said.
Dr Mirimo added that implementing the toolkit would empower
healthcare providers to better support mothers, reduce stigma and
discrimination, and improve the availability and acceptability of essential
maternal mental health services throughout the county.
The SUMMIT Toolkit is the result of extensive cross-sector
collaboration, underscoring a unified approach to improving public health.
The initiative was spearheaded by the SUMMIT principal
investigators, Dr Carol Ngunu (Director of Preventive and Promotive Health,
Nairobi City County Government) and Prof Manasi Kumar (New York University
Grossman School of Medicine / University of Nairobi / WHO-Mental Health and
Brain Health Advisory Board).
They were supported by 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 of the Ministry of Health’s
Division of Mental Health, Dr Catherine Wanjiku (MOH), and Stella Waruingi
(NCCG) also played pivotal roles in ensuring that the toolkit aligns with
national policies and World Health Organization (WHO) frameworks.
With the launch of this toolkit, Nairobi City County joins
the growing global effort to integrate mental health into maternal care,
ensuring that mothers receive the holistic support they need during and after
pregnancy.
The county government reiterated its commitment to scaling
up mental health interventions and fostering partnerships that place maternal
wellbeing at the heart of public health.