By Ezrah Kashumbusha,
KAMPALA
The Government of Uganda has been urged to facilitate mental health programs in universities and other institutions of learning.
This call was made on Tuesday by Dr. Martin Bakundana, director LEM Mindfulness, an organization that creates awareness about mental health and provides counseling services in Uganda.
“We have less than 53 psychiatrists in the country serving more than 46 million people,” he noted expressing needs for more experts to handle cases of mental health issues in the country.
In Uganda, funding for mental health is 1% of the national budget, but Bakundana commended the Prime Minister who in May this year promised on the floor of parliament that government was to add other 1% on the funding in the Ministry of health budget.
“I want to thank the parliament of Uganda for setting up the mental health advocacy forum and these are the projects that have been set up over the last two months to reduce on the gloomy situation in this country.” Bakundana added
He however, decried the high cost of consultation fee charged on mental health patients in government hospitals and some private hospitals which he says is not affordable to many people.
The event which took place at Makerere University faculty of Education was attended by MP Ojok Andrew Oulanyah who promised to push Mental Health Awareness Bill in Parliament.
“…The new amendments of the Mental health Act will curtail cyber bullying,” he said.
MP Ojok urged the young people to avoid being less productive and to use technology to change society.
“Let’s take breaks and desist activities that stop the brain from doing productive work hence being prisoners instead of being humans,” he said
The event was organized by Mrs. Birungi B Kasfah the founder of Talk To Birungi Organization that provides counseling and Mental heath Advocacy in Makerere University, and attended by students from different Universities such as Kampala International University Ishaka Campus, Makerere University among others.
