ELDORET #healthcare #africa

0:00 [Music] The Ministry of Health through the State Department for public health and professional standards. We wish to express deep concern over the escalating public health threats posed by drugs and substance uh abuse across the country and this manace has devastating consequences particularly among the youth aged 15 and 35 years. The most prevalently abused substances include alcohol, especially the illicit booze and counterfeit spirits, bang, tobacco, prescription medication such as codine and uh sedatives. And in some urban

0:45 areas, we have had drugs such as heroine, cocaine. And of growing concern, the increasing availability and use of the novel nicotine products and emerging tobacco varants which are aggressively marketed to the young people posing new regulatory and enforcement challenges. The current trends and the national data that is collected in 2022 underscores the gravity of the crisis among the young people aged 15 and 24 years. And that 1 in 11 approximately 632,000 individuals is currently using at least one drug or a substance. And in

1:32 the 25 to 35 age group, over 1.5 million individuals are reported to be affected. In recognition to this issue and the magnitude that it carries and the challenge that we can see as a as a state department, as a ministry, um we have been able to initiate comprehensive nationalwide public awareness and stakeholder sensitization campaign between November 2024 and February 2025. And this campaign has adopted a clusterbased implementation model and was rolled out across all 47 counties. The objectives of this

2:19 campaign is basically to promote health lifestyle choices and values, raising public awareness on the dangers and consequences of drugs and substance use and sensitizing key stakeholders across all the sectors and equally strengthening the capacity of health providers to manage substance use and disorders. We have been able to see over 100,000 members of the public engaged through public baras and forums. Over 5,000 key stakeholders trained including law enforcement officers and community leaders and equally 107,000 community

3:04 health promoters have been part of this training across the country. Over a thousand healthare workforce or workers have been sensitized and equipped to detect, manage and refer patients with substance use and mental health disorders. The multis sectoral initiative which includes collaboration with other stakeholders. When we go to the field, we don't work alone. We work with the judiciary, work with the national government administrative officers. We have the Kenya police. We have civil society organizations. We have women and youth. We equally have religious leaders as our stakeholder. And also the county health management teams are part and parcel of the teams

3:52 that we have together uh had a co coordinated participation which has reaffirmed our shared national commitment to prevention, enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation. Our ministry has prioritized health worker training to support early detection, clinical management and appropriate referral to individuals suffering from substance use disorders. And this effort has informed by the growing clinical evidence linking substance and abuse with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis. If you look at uh um the issues that we

4:41 still have to handle, we have to train more personnel. We equally need uh to mobilize more funds uh for logistical support and capacity building for the people who have been affected equally. And also we need to go um on regulation ensure that we review the laws we review the policies so that they are in line with what is expected. As a state department, we have priority intervention to strengthen treatment and rehabilitation services and 10 counties with high prevalence have been identified for the establishment of government supported rehabilitation and cessation centers.

5:27 This includes garisa kakamega kericho kisumu likeia machakos meu mombasa nakuru singishu and we shall continue adding on to the centers until we are sure that we have facilities that can take care of uh addicts or people who have been addicted to drug drugs and substance use. The centers will provide affordable detoxification and rehabilitation uh services, counseling and psychosocial support, community based reintegration and after care programs. And um this being the mental health month, mental health consequences of drug and substance abuse

6:16 are deeply troubling among the adolescent and young adults that are particularly at risk with those aged between 15 and 35, accounting to over half of drug users in this country. and early initiation into drug use is strongly associated with the onset of lifelong mental health disorders. The ministry through the social health authority has integrated both mental health and drugs and substance use disorder treatment into the social health insurance fund. We have been able to cater for detoxification services, rehabilitation services. We also have mental health services that are there for outpatient and inpatient. So it is

7:04 important that these measures are designed to remove the financial barriers and uh standards standardize treatment costs and encourage early intervention and recovery for those that are affected. So we encourage people across the country that they may uh register to the social health uh authority so that the masses can enjoy and can access these services with ease and with affordability without draining our pockets. So while progress has been made, it is clear that continued coordinated and adequately resourced action is required and moving forward uh through the state department of public

7:51 health, we wish to strengthen enforcement of existing drug control laws, expanding school-based and community level awareness programs. We wish to also support youth empowerment and economic inclusion and equally enhancing community leadership and stakeholder ownership and engagement. It is important to equally develop tailormade county action plans and appointing drug and substance abuse focal persons in each of our counties. Establishing the national knowledge hubs for training, research and practice. Antimicrobial resistance is a live

8:38 conversation globally. In fact, AMR is a global threat. That is why we are asking members of the public to avoid over theounter medication and prescribing drugs for themsel. It is important to note that uh um antibiotics resistance is a reality as of now. We would seek and we will uh request that members of the public should you get unwell, please visit a health facility where you will find a health care a skilled health care workforce that will guide you and will prescribe to you the kind of drugs that

9:25 you require. We recognize the critical role of educators, religious leaders, community elders, elected representatives, civil society in this collective effort, community health promoters who are our foot soldiers on the ground. And we must all work together to protect our future generation from the devastating grip of drugs and substance use and mental health illness. So let us join hands to create a healthier, safer and drug-free Kenya where all citizens and most importantly our youth are equipped with the knowledge and the support to make informed choices and to live a life

10:10 marked by dignity, well-being and promise. My name is Mary Modoni. I am the principal secretary for public health and professional standards in the ministry of health Kenya.