UGANDA—According to new research released by Uganda’s Ministry of Health, 30 percent of Ugandans have mental health illness.

This report was published in the aftermath of World Mental Health Day, which was held last month on October 10th.

Dr. Juliet Nakku, the principal investigator and head of Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, as well as Dr. Fredrick Makumba, a co-principal investigator and associate professor at Makerere University, and Ms. Rose Kisa, a fellow researcher at Makerere University, were present for the release of this report.

Dr. Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, was also present.

Mental health stressors include drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence, poverty, brain traumas that impair cognitive functioning, and stress from jobs, school, and relationships.

According to a 2019 WHO report on mental health, in low- and middle-income countries like Uganda, where disease, ignorance, and poverty are prevalent, the need for consistent mental treatment is considered a luxury.

Uganda’s primary care system is under-resourced, underfunded, and unprepared to manage mental health issues.

According to The Lancet, Uganda has only 53 psychiatrists—roughly one psychiatrist for every one million people—and all of these psychiatrists are largely based in urban areas and work as university lecturers and researchers, leaving few to act as clinicians.

Furthermore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, most hospitals’ mental health units were transformed into COVID-19 isolation units until May 20, 2022, reducing the availability of mental health care services during this time.

Makerere University School of Public Health and Butabika Hospital conducted the study, which included 2,067 people from Adjumani in the northern region, Bushenyi in the west, Butambala in the central region, and Kapchorwa in the west.

The researchers chose the sample of child responses at random from a list of eligible children, and households for interviews were also chosen at random.

Dr. Juliet Nakku, the principal investigator and head of Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, recently conducted a study spanning from March to September. The study’s primary focus was on the integration of mental health services into primary care.

Dr. Nakku’s research shed light on the prevalence of anxiety and depression, particularly among women. The study revealed that anxiety often coexists with varying degrees of depression, from mild to severe.

Additionally, stress levels were addressed among adults who were juggling the demands of life and work.

The research discovered that this stress had a noticeable impact on 1,366 students across 33 schools, affecting their academic performance.

The study encompassed a diverse range of settings, including the community, schools, and primary healthcare institutions.

Dr. Fredrick Makumba, a co-principal investigator and associate professor at Makerere University, uncovered that 18 percent of the research sample suffered from moderate to severe depression.

Furthermore, 7 out of every 100 respondents exhibited hazardous alcohol usage and alcohol dependence.

Ms. Rose Kisa, a fellow researcher at Makerere University, conducted exit interviews with 160 individuals leaving primary healthcare facilities.

The interviews revealed that 76 percent of these individuals had a severe anxiety disorder, while 48 percent experienced moderately severe to severe depression. Additionally, 4 percent reported harmful use of alcohol and alcohol dependence.

One significant finding of the study was the lack of mental health care available in public health facilities.

This deficiency was attributed to a lack of knowledge and skills among healthcare professionals in dealing with mental health patients.

Stigmatization of individuals with mental health issues was noted as a barrier, reducing people’s willingness to seek care and hindering the reintegration of patients into the community.

The study also highlighted an alarming trend in which approximately ten people with mental illnesses sought assistance from religious leaders and traditional healers rather than seeking care from certified medical providers.

To address these issues, Dr. Diana Atwine, on November 7, announced plans to decentralize mental health care, increasing access by extending services to lower-level healthcare facilities.

Currently, mental health services are primarily concentrated in Kampala at Butabika National Referral Hospital and 13 additional referral hospitals.

Dr. Atwine outlined a vision for training health workers and community health workers to recognize various types of mental illnesses and implementing stress-reduction programs in schools.

Dr. Atwine emphasized the vital role of public education in preventing and treating mental illness, highlighting the importance of awareness and destigmatization in the overall effort to improve mental health care.

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