Monday, September 17, 2007

Young Psychiatrists Meet in Dar!

There will be a meeting of Eastern African Young Psychiatrists in Dar es Salaam from 2nd to 4th November 2007. The theme this year will be about Collaboration in research and clinical practice in the region.
Please contact the President of the Association Dr Lukoye Atwoli on lukoye@gmail.com, tel. +254 722 943397 for more information. You may also contact the publicity secretary Dr Pamela Kaduri on tel +255 754 285565, pkaduri@yahoo.com.
All interested in mental health in our region are welcome!

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Abortion in Kenya

Lately abortion has become a hot topic in Kenya. Everybody is talking about legalisation (or otherwise) of abortion in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality among women who currently seek those services in backstreet quack clinics.
I want to burst their bubble today by suggesting that abortion is legal in Kenya! All it would take is for two (or more) specialist doctors to agree that an abortion is necessary due to risk to the life of the mother or baby, and it would be done! I doubt that those now arguing loudest are ignorant of this fact.
On the contrary, I think the argument is about something totally different, the demedicalisation of abortion. This would mean removing doctors and medical professionals from the decision-making process on whether an abortion is necessary or not! Supposedly this is in pursuit of empowerment of women. Why anyone would want abortions to be ordered over the counter, as it were, baffles me.
Another argument being advanced is that abortion is a women's issue and men should not be involved. Without trivialising the argument, I wonder since when did women start impregnating themselves without the assistance of the male of the species! Men must be involved in this decision too!
Let's tackle the real issues, and stop skirting around them by concentrating on non-issues like legalisation of abortion!
I wonder what you think?

Substance Related Problems in Eldoret

Today we will talk about substance use, especially alcohol dependence and abuse, in Eldoret. It is becoming increasingly clear that the people of Eldoret in the North Rift love their tipple. This is resulting in many people ending up with alcohol related disorders including nutritional deficiencies, memory impairment and other physical and mental illnesses.
I think it is time we started tackling this issue with all seriousness. It is indeed an indictment of the mental health community in Western Kenya that there is no substance rehabilitation programme in the entire region, despite the high prevalence of these problems.
I am now calling on concerned persions to help set up such a unit, and to interest mental health and other medical practitioners to work towards controlling this problem.
Any takers?

Monday, January 15, 2007

Upcoming conference

There will be an international psychiatry conference in Nairobi in March this year. The deadline for submission of abstracts passed last year, but you can still register to attend or sponsor the conference. Visit www.wpanet.org for more information...

Monday, January 8, 2007

Psychiatry in Kenya

Mental health in Kenya is relatively young, compared to other medical subspecialties. Postgraduate training started in the early 1980s, and there are only about 70 psychiatrists in the entire country.
This blog will be dedicated to looking at development in mental health and Psychiatry in Kenya, and perhaps in the Eastern Africa region.
It will contain links to sites such as World Health Organisation, World Psychiatric Association and other relevant sites for information and resources on mental health. Comments are welcome and will be answered to the best knowledge of the writer, but the opinions expressed here should not be used as treatment advice without reference to your physician or mental health clinician.
This introduction is enough for today, and I hope all that visit this blog will enjoy themselves enough to refer others to it!
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