Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Communities
The Rotary Club of Kampala Naalya has taken on a new project that seeks to address mental health challenges in selected communities. The Club is building on the fact that the primary care system in Uganda is inadequately funded and ill-equipped to address mental health concerns at a time of immense need. Records show that Uganda has only 53 psychiatrists, a ratio of one psychiatrist for every 1 million people, yet these are mostly located in urban centres leaving the communities in dire need.
With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, cases of depression have skyrocketed in the country resulting in other long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, yet for others, chronic conditions increased the risk for mental illness driving a vicious circle of illness’ which needs urgent intervention.
Dr John Mugisa and other club members are working with a team of medical personnel from Butabika Hospital on developing a mental health project. They have identified communities in the outskirts of Kampala particularly in Nakawa Division, where Rotarians will run school-based early intervention programs, mental health clinics and shelters for the provision of Mental Health Community Support and Psychosocial Services for young people, adults, and older people. To this effect, the Club has written project proposal.
The club's community-based services will bridge the gap between in-hospital care and community support through the provision of community care units, prevention and recovery care services, and outpatient clinical treatment. This is aimed at reducing stigma and enabling people with mental illness to live successfully in the community.
For the aged, the mental health community interventions will provide assessment and treatment, rehabilitation, case management services and support to care service providers, families and caregivers.