Legislators call for smarter investments to advance mental health services in Uganda

UGANDA – The Parliament of the Republic of Uganda has urged the government to increase funding for mental and psychiatric care services in the country.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) also called for prioritization and improvement of mental health and psychiatric care across the nation.

In addition, the Government of Uganda was asked to return the mental health facilities that were converted into COVID-19 treatment units to their original use.

The legislators also urged the government to increase funding for recruitment of psychiatric nurses in schools as well as additional funds to equip health institutions to train mental health specialists.

During the plenary sitting, Butambala District Woman MP in Uganda Nalule Asha Aisha Kabanda called for training and the recruitment of psychiatric doctors while pointing out that the current 42 are not enough.

She emphasized that the one percent of the budget for 2022/2023 Financial Year appropriated towards mental health means insufficient drugs and poor care for the 14 million people with mental disorders.

“We are worried that cases will increase. The budget of the Ministry of Health alone is not enough. Mental health services should be mainstreamed into all sectors,” Hon. Aisha Kabanda said.

She observed that children between 15 and 19 years are now more affected by mental illness and the majority are in schools while noting that their mental illnesses are not detected early.

She urged the government to allocate more funding towards early identification, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of mental health, adding that children are increasingly committing suicide.

According to the unicameral Parliament of Uganda, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa said that mental health issues require urgent attention from the government while encouraging lawmakers to give the issue due attention.

“We need to take this as a serious case and that it is well funded. This needs to stand out so that the Minister of Health gives us a statement on mental health infrastructure and support. We can identify money in the budget,” he said.

He explained that the intervention can start at the level of Health Centre IV while highlighting that certain factors should be considered in the quest to address mental health funding.

Furthermore, the Busia Municipality Member of Parliament Hon. Geofrey Macho called for the upgrade of the Mental Health Unit in Mulago National Referral Hospital to a department, adding that the renovations will improve the treatment and care of mental health patients. 

He highlighted the urged need for free distribution of drugs to the mentally ill since the medicines are expensive and inaccessible, noting that mental health should be mainstreamed in all health units and all health workers should receive training and counseling.

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