Hospitals Introduce Psychosocial Support Units

Across Kenya, hospitals are increasingly incorporating dedicated psychosocial support units to provide comprehensive mental health care, including counselling and psychological therapy, especially for inpatients and outpatients. This move aligns with the national Mental Health Action Plan, which prioritizes the infrastructural development of psychosocial units within public health facilities.
Some public hospitals had previously lacked formal psychosocial services: a recent report noted that out of over 284 Level 4+ public hospitals, very few offered consistent counselling or therapy, even though a significant portion of both inpatients and outpatients are estimated to have common mental health disorders.
Private and mission hospitals are also contributing to this shift. For example, Outspan Hospital has a psychology department staffed with qualified psychologists and counsellors who offer psychosocial support to both inpatients and outpatients, providing crisis intervention, substance-abuse counselling, family therapy, and more.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Health has formally integrated mental health services — including psychosocial support — into Kenya’s national insurance benefits package under the Taifa Care model, making these services more financially accessible for many Kenyans.