KAMWENGE UGANDA: Rukunyu District Hospital in Kamwenge District has recorded more than 200 mental health cases since the beginning of this year, amid a shortage of specialists and the absence of a dedicated mental health unit.
The hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Ivan Mujuni, says the increase is linked to several factors, including excessive alcohol consumption, drug intoxication, stress, poor child upbringing and corporal punishment. He adds that some mental health conditions are also genetic.
However, the hospital faces a shortage of staff to manage the growing number of patients. Dr Mujuni says only three assistant nursing officers are currently handling mental health cases, forcing patients to share general wards with others because the hospital has no specialised unit.
Despite these challenges, Dr Mujuni says more people are now seeking medical care for mental health conditions. He says this is a change from the past, when many patients were taken to traditional healers in villages.
Dr Mujuni says some mental health conditions can be prevented or managed better through early check-ups, detection and counselling. He has also urged the public to avoid excessive alcohol and drug use and seek medical attention early, noting that medicines for mental health conditions are available at the hospital.
