Mathari Hospital

Mathari Hospital is the only psychiatric hospital in Kenya. It has capacity for 675 patients and is located near the slum area of Mathare district of Nairobi.[1]

History

Mathari Hospital was founded in 1910 by the colonial authorities of British Kenya.[2] A smallpox isolation centre was redesigned and became the Nairobi Lunatic Asylum.[2] The facilities were segregated with African patients, who constituted 95% of the patients, being kept in the worst conditions. They lived in very overcrowded bomas, which were the traditional form of housing in Kenya.[2] The facilities provided for Asians were somewhat better with the best conditions being reserved for Europeans.[2] Up until independence all psychiatrists, senior doctors and nurses employed at the hospital were European.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Grohol, John M. "Locked up at Mathari Hospital: Mental Health Treatment Lags in Kenya". World of Psychology. Psych Central. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Njenga, Frank (2002). "Focus on psychiatry in East Africa". The British Journal of Psychiatry. 181 (4): 354–359. doi:10.1192/bjp.181.4.354. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
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