By Stephen Macharia
Dr Geoffrey Wango, a Kenyan counselling physiologist and academic scholar, has received state honours for his work in promoting mental health and well-being.
On December 12, 2022, Dr Wango, a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi, was awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW) by His Excellency President Dr William Ruto.
The award did not surprise those who are acquainted with Dr Wango. He has a large body of work, publications and research in the field of counselling psychology. He has written seven books and many journal articles. His work on Research Gate, a social networking platform for scientists and researchers, has received over 200,000 views. His contributions are evident in Google Scholar, Academic.Edu, LinkedIn, ORCID, Scientific Index and other scholarly works.
Dr Wango thanked President William Ruto for “recognizing mental health as a key pillar issue” in an interview with Health Business Magazine.
“This award elevates preventive and life-coping programmes as core pillars in health.” He explained that he imparts knowledge and skills on how to deal with, and cope with life’s challenges.
According to the counselling psychologist, mental health is gaining importance in Kenya, as many health programmes now include mental wellness components such as stress and anxiety. However, access to mental health care and awareness remains a privilege majorly for city dwellers.
“The COVID-19 pandemic hammered many people in ways that exacerbated mental health. This award acknowledges the value of my work and that of others in mental health prevention strategies. It’s the start of more efforts in this area,” he said.
According to Dr Wango, current mental health programmes are still largely inadequate in comparison to the magnitude of the country’s challenge.
“Kenya’s mental health and well-being have been hit by the double whammy of a global pandemic and a rising cost of living leading to a general crisis. This means that more people than ever are succumbing to health problems,” he explained.
He proposes the incorporation of preventive mental health programs into national health programmes including the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Counselling and mental illness assessments are among them. He warns that the COVID-19 pandemic-induced mental illnesses may worsen in the future and “strain healthcare systems.”
He believes, however, that Kenya has made significant progress in mental health, particularly in reducing the stigma associated with mental health patients.
“This presents an opportunity for Kenya to go to the next level: ensuring countrywide availability of appropriate mental services.”
Kenya’s current mental health situation is prevalent throughout the country. According to most studies, 7 out of 10 people have contemplated suicide sometime in their life, while suicide is among the top 10 leading causes of death in Kenya. Dr Wango adds, “many cases of suicide go unreported due to the stigma associated with it.”
Dr. Wango is a frequent commentator in newspapers, magazines, on national television and on radio. Every Monday from 5:00 to 6.00 p.m., he appears on Tina Ogal’s popular Citizen Radio show Drive On. He is also the Executive Editor and founder of The Counsel-ling Magazine which presents articles on present-day diverse aspects of Counselling Psychology.
