Murang’a:Patients with multiple non-communicable diseases (NCDs) may soon receive comprehensive care under one roof in Murang’a County, thanks to a new health model being piloted. The five-year M-Care project aims to establish one-stop clinics where patients with conditions such as diabetes and hypertension can also be screened and managed for mental health issues during the same visit.
According to Kenya News Agency, the project is a collaborative effort involving the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), the Ministry of Health, and the Murang’a County Government, with funding from the European Commission. Dr. Gershim Asiki, a senior research scientist at APHRC, highlighted that the model addresses the gap in treating patients with multiple conditions who are currently seen in separate clinics.
The current healthcare system often leads to some conditions, particularly mental health issues, going undetected among patients attending chronic disease clinics. Dr. Asiki noted that patients commonly present with two or more conditions, such as hypertension and depression, but one condition might be overlooked during assessment.
Under the new model, health workers will evaluate both physical and mental health conditions in one visit, minimizing the need for patients to visit multiple clinics. This approach seeks to improve care for the increasing number of NCD cases, particularly in Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa.
Prof. Charles Agyemang from Amsterdam University Medical Centre emphasized that the one-stop approach will facilitate comprehensive care for patients, especially in rural and low-income communities, by reducing travel costs and time spent reaching different health facilities.
The project will initially involve 100 health facilities in Murang’a, which will be randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. These facilities will be monitored for 12 months to evaluate the effectiveness of the integrated care model. Healthcare workers will receive training on integrated NCD and mental health care, and electronic medical records will support clinical decision-making.
Dr. Mercy Karanja, head of the Division of Mental Health at the Ministry of Health, stated that integrating mental health screening into NCD services would help identify untreated patients and aligns with the Ministry’s efforts to bring mental healthcare closer to communities.
Dr. James Mburu, Murang’a County Director for Health, expressed the county’s readiness to support the initiative, noting investments in health infrastructure and digital health systems. The project will focus on adults aged 18 and above, assessing health facilities’ readiness for integrated screening and treatment.
The researchers hope that if successful, the model can expand to other facilities in Murang’a and be implemented across Kenya and other African countries. The APHRC is also piloting the M-Care project in Ghana and Uganda.
