Group Therapy In Kenya Essay

Topic: Assessing the use of group therapy techniques in alcohol rehabilitation centre’s in Kenya: A case study of Asumbi Treatment Centre

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Information

Alcohol and drug abuse have been identified as the main reasons for seeking treatment in rehabilitation centres globally. Rehabilitation is often referred to as the “health care services that help a person keep, restore or improve skills and functioning for daily living” (New York State Benchmark Plan Recommendations, 2012). Rehabilitation centres are comprised of medical clinics, a counseling department, physical therapy, occupational therapy, inpatient and outpatient psychiatric treatment (Rosenthal & Shimberg, 1958; New York State Benchmark Plan Recommendations,

A number of organizational systems have evolved to provide treatment to alcohol and drug abusers in Western Europe. These treatment centres include specialist addiction treatment centres, hospitals and general practitioners. There now exist treatment and care services for drug users in France, approximately over 149 local drug practitioners in the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands (Muscat, 2010). The treatments are further subdivided into drug free treatment, dual diagnosis treatment, alcohol provision treatment, somatic and psychiatric treatment, counseling services and rehabilitation services (Muscat,

Indeed, Kenya is no exception to the recent increase in drug and alcohol abuse on the continent. A survey conducted by National Authority for the campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA, 2007) in 2007 reported 22% of people aged between 15-65 years abusing either of the drugs or excessive alcohol consumption within both the genders and urban/rural areas in Kenya. A follow-up survey on the statistic’s report was conducted in the year 2012 reported 13.3% of people abusing alcohol, 9.1% tobacco, 1.0% bhang and 0.1% heroin (NACADA, 2012). Despite the legislative attempts to control the consumption of alcohol and drug use/abuse, the Alcoholics Drink Control Act of 2010 (popularly known as Muthuto’s Law), the government still deals with a greater number of people at an earlier age facing threats towards excessive substance abuse in both the rural and urban areas in Kenya (Gathigah, 2016). Also, there is lack of rehabilitation centre’s and/or facilities in use for treating people with substance abuse. Several factors such as geographical location, financial support, guidance, family systems and work status play a major role to why people avoid seeking help from rehabilitation centre’s and support groups(Lilleskov & Chakua, 2013). Rehabilitation centre’s in Kenya apply different ways in treating substance abuse clients. These include occupational therapy, child abuse therapy,