Health & Wellness

Where to turn when you need a helping hand

Our Health & Wellness services are designed to provide holistic care through a wide range of professional, confidential, and student-friendly resources because your health and well-being come first. We’re committed to supporting students physically, mentally, and emotionally throughout their academic journey.

What we offer.

01.

Counseling

Free and confidential support to help students navigate stress, anxiety, relationships, or academic pressure. Available through walk-ins or appointments.

02.

On Campus Clinic

Accessible medical services for common illnesses, minor injuries, and preventive care. Staffed with certified healthcare professionals.

03.

Wellness programs

Group sessions and activities focused on stress management, mental health awareness, and building healthy habits.

01. Health Services

USIU-Africa provides comprehensive on-campus health services to ensure the physical well-being of all students, faculty, and staff. The university clinic is fully equipped and staffed by qualified medical professionals ready to offer timely, confidential, and student-centered care.

The Health Center fulfills its mission through a three-pronged approach: by providing primary healthcare services to both students and staff, collaborating with external healthcare providers for specialized or extended services, and organizing community-based activities aimed at raising awareness and educating the campus population on health-related issues.

we are committed to the health and wellbeing of our community. In partnership with Metrocare Health Clinic, we provide students and staff with access to quality, reliable, and professional healthcare services. Our general doctors and ambulance services are available 24/7, ensuring that help is always within reach whenever it is needed. We also have a variety of specialists as listed below.

 

Available Specialists

Physician

Our physician service offers general medical care, including diagnosis, treatment, and management of common illnesses. Students and staff can also receive preventive health advice, regular check-ups, and referrals for specialized care when necessary. We are dedicated to promoting overall wellness and timely medical support.

Availability: Fri (2:00pm - 5:00pm)

Dental Services

We provide dental care to help students and staff maintain optimal oral health. Services include routine check-ups, dental cleaning, fillings, tooth extractions, and treatment of oral infections. Our dental practitioners ensure gentle, effective care in a hygienic environment.

Availability: Mon, Tue, Thur (9:00am - 5:00pm)

Optometry

Our optometry service focuses on vision testing, eye health checks, and prescription of corrective lenses. Students and staff can access personalized advice on maintaining healthy eyesight and managing vision-related concerns.

Availability: Wed & Fri (9:00am - 5:00pm)

Physiotherapy.

For those recovering from injuries, dealing with chronic pain, or needing mobility support, our physiotherapy unit provides personalized rehabilitation plans. With a focus on movement therapy and strengthening exercises, we help students and staff regain function and prevent future injuries.

Availability: Mon to Sat (8:00am - 5:00pm)

Ophthalmology

Our ophthalmology service offers comprehensive eye care, including routine exams, vision testing, and treatment for common eye conditions. Students and staff can also receive preventive eye health advice and referrals for specialized care.

Availability: Mon (11:00am - 1:30pm)

Orthopedic

This service provides care for bone, joint, and muscle conditions, including sprains, fractures, and posture-related issues. Students and staff can receive expert assessment, treatment, and advice on injury prevention and recovery. We also offer referrals for advanced orthopedic care when needed.

Availability: Fri (11:00am - 2:00pm)

Nutrition

Our nutrition service provides guidance on healthy eating, weight management, and dietary plans tailored to individual needs. Students and staff can consult with a nutritionist for advice on improving overall wellness and preventing lifestyle-related conditions.

Availability: Tue (9:00am - 5:00pm)

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Our obstetrics and gynecology service supports women’s health through routine check-ups, reproductive health consultations, and prenatal care. Students and staff can access personalized guidance, diagnosis, and treatment in a confidential and supportive environment.

Availability: Wed (2:00pm - 5:00pm)

  • Students
  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • To access medical services; you are required to present a valid student Id /medical insurance card at the registration;
  • After registration, you will undergo triage and thereafter be referred to a clinician for management and finally send to the pharmacy where you are able to collect prescribed medication.
  • For student members of university sports teams, a GPA sports cover provides a medical cover for injuries sustained while playing for the University.
  • In case of injuries sustained on campus or within Nairobi, medical care can be accessed at external facilities.
  • Sports students requiring referrals to external facilities are required to collect their smart cards from the sports department and can then be referred to the hospitals on the university panel, with a letter of undertaking.
  • For injuries sustained while playing outside Nairobi, a contingency is provided to the team manager to access medical care.

Feedback is very welcome – please contact Millicent Wanderi – Insurance Office on mwanderi@usiu.ac.ke or +254 780 640 963 or +254 730 116 271

Emergency Services

The university provides Ambulance services for On-Campus emergencies.
In the event of an emergency contact the Health Center as quickly as possible through the following emergency numbers

Important Documents

02. Counseling Services

The center exists to provide comprehensive, quality, sustainable, preventive, supportive and curative counseling psychological services that help the USIU-Africa community members with a variety of personal, academic, social and emotional concerns that interfere with their ability to thrive and succeed while at USIU-Africa.

Our Counseling Approach

Our approach is collaborative, goal-oriented, and multi-culturally sensitive aimed at promoting greater mental health and wellbeing. We use the appropriate counseling methods/approaches or techniques depending on the issues presented by the client.

 

The aim of counseling

  • Empowering individuals
  • Enhancing inner strength
  • Helping the individual recognize and improve on weaknesses
  • Promoting increased self- awareness through personality tests,Promoting independence of action as a responsible person
  • Helping one with life transition issues (turning points in one’s life, adjustment/changes in life
  • Giving information on how to make the best possible use of resources
  • Vision

To provide comprehensive quality, sustainable, preventive, supportive and curative counseling and psychological services that help the USIU-Africa community with effective learning, personal growth and empowerment as they deal with personal problems, develop their potential and achieve their academic and life goals.

  • Mission

To be the leader in the provision of excellent professional psychological and counseling support services with a global perspective.

  • Reach Us

We are Located in the Freida Brown Student Center, 2nd Floor on the right from the stairs/lift.

Phone: +254-730 116 748/746/750/791/797/817 or from within the campus (Ext. 748/746/750/791/797/817).

E-mail: counsel@usiu.ac.ke

Opening Hours: Monday – Friday (8am – 5pm)

We offer these services both in person and virtually.

  • Personal/Individual Psychological Counseling: One on one counseling
  • Group Counseling where 8 -12 students having a common issue form a group and explore under the facilitation of professional counselors
  • Couple Counseling for those in relationships or marriages
  • Family Therapy – For family related issues for students with their parents
  • Awareness Campaigns: through organizing open days, VCT weeks, drug awareness, mental health and World AIDS day annually.
  • Psycho-education/Life skills development through topical presentation forums, Information, education and communication materials (IEC’s) on notice boards, university social media pages, publications (brochures, posters & flyers), class presentations and e-mails.
  • Free voluntary integrated HIV Testing Services (HTS) accredited by National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) and National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP) to offer quality services that meet national and international standards
  • Training and supervising Peer Educators and Counselors (PEC): To ensure that the counseling services reach out to all students. The university counselors Train, supervise and work with students in the Peer Educators and Counselors Club (PECC) and serve as the patrons of the club.
  • Psychological First Aid Training: To empower members of USIU-Africa Community with necessary skills to support individuals affected by crises.
  • Referral for services needed yet not offered by Counseling Center
  • New students’ Orientation: To assist new students adjust better on campus
  • Psychological assessment: Services such as personality tests help with increased self-awareness and plan for satisfying interventions
  • Students and their parents
  • Alumni
  • USIU-Africa staff, faculty and their immediate family members

Put Away the Following Fears:

  1. They will talk about my problems all over campus (NO!)
  2. They will laugh at me because my problem is so embarrassing.
  3. They’ll think I am a terrible person.
  4. They’ll think I’m crazy.

Note: Counseling draws out our richest and deepest resources, draws out our hidden thoughts and dreams, serves as a check on our judgment, tries out our new ideas, keeps up our emotions, inflames our motivation and enthusiasm to connect with self and others.

We care, Come Let’s Talk!

  • Problem solving and decision making
  • Personal Growth
  • Emotional and Mental Health Support
  • Academic Support
  • Relationship and Social Skills
  • Adjustment and Life Transitions
  • To Provide Quality, Accessible Counseling Services
  • To Uphold Confidentiality and Informed Consent
  • To Support Your Academic and Personal Success
  • To Address Challenges Affecting Wellbeing

To access our services for the first time you can;

  • Click the booking link provided above or below, sign up and schedule for a session.
  • Call the department through 0730116748 to be assisted in scheduling for one.
  • Send us an email with your preferred time, and we’ll confirm your session.
  • Visit the Counseling Center during office hours (Monday-Friday, 8.00am-5.00pm).
  • Every individual is unique, so we tailor our services to the client’s particular needs.
  • We take a holistic approach to treat the whole person guided by the appropriate counseling techniques and methods.
  • We observe human dignity and rights of each individual.
  • We allow purposeful expression of feelings.
  • We observe sensitivity to your needs (w we are client centered).
  • We observe confidentiality of personal information disclosed.
  • We observe objectivity when dealing with systemic issues.
  • We take a non-judgmental attitude (we accept, value and respect you for who you are).
  • We observe sensitivity to culture and non-discrimination– we work in a multicultural environment, offering services to people from different cultures, races, gender, sexual orientation, abilities, and religions or spirituality.
  • We observe professionalism, embracing the most effective, relevant, human and evidence-based technical helping skills.
  • We recognize the client’s right to make choices and decisions
  • We inject creativity in our counseling approaches
  • We provide quality service that is participatory and meets recommended standards
  • Preventive services– identify difficulties that the students are likely to encounter and proactively intervene by giving the students information (psychoeducation through awareness campaigns) hence preventing problem situations occurring and reoccurring.
  • Supportive servicesfor USIU-Africa community members undergoing crises, challenges and difficulties.
  • Supportive servicesto those who need help to progress towards a desired goal. The counselor will be a facilitator in the process e.g. Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitative services with referral to inpatient or other external professionals.
  • Curative services– offer individual, family, couple and group sessions.
  • Referral Services– for services needed yet not offered at the Counseling Center e.g. rehabilitation, psychiatric care, CCC.

You can also come for affirmation that you are doing well or for Life Coaching to help you move to higher heights in different aspects of your life.

If you’re coming for the first time, you’ll be connected with a professional counselor who will be ready to;

  • Spend time, attend and listen to you
  • Respect and take you for who you are

 

You will be given the opportunity to:

  • Gain new views or perspectives on the situations in your life
  • Gain new Ways of Thinking about the World and Yourself.
  • Gain healthier coping strategies during difficult or stressful times in your life
  • Vent, complain, explain, and try to better understand your life

The Counseling Center collaborates closely with students, Faculty, Dean of Students, Health Clinic, Security, Clubs and Sports groups, Peer Educator & Counselors, and other USIU-Africa departments. It also engages with external partners, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, corporates, and both national and international organizations.

The Counseling Center works with the Academic Affairs division to assist students enhance their academic performance through an early warning system to reduce the risk of academic dismissal. It also creates awareness on the support that faculty can offer students with psycho-social issues that interfere with their learning.

The Drug Awareness Week which runs every spring semester aims at informing, creating awareness, serving as a demand reduction strategy in prevention and control of issues of alcohol and drug abuse.

Every summer and fall semesters, the Counseling Center runs the VCT, Sexual and Reproductive Health week aimed at prevention, control and management of HIV & AIDS and reproductive health issues.

Need to talk to someone?

The Counseling Center has professionally-trained and widely experienced staff

  • 5 Full-Time Psychological Counselors
  • 1 Counseling Graduate Assistant
  • 1 Office Administrator
  • 5 VCT Counselors
  • 3-7 interns who are masters and doctoral students in the field of psychology
  • 2 or 3 students are members of the team as part of the work-study program.
Book a counseling session
For any emergencies, call +254-730-116-760
Principal Counselor
Patrick Obel
Senior Counselor
Lydia Winda
Senior Counselor
Adolphine Nyandoro
Senior Counselor
Vincent Juma
Senior Counselor
Zina Nguru
Office Administrator
Violet Okindo