MBARARA
Mental health professionals and advocates are calling on the Ugandan government to shift its focus from treatment to prevention and awareness in addressing the country’s growing mental health crisis.
Rose Kyarimpa, a counselor and team leader at Buhumuriro Counseling Center in Mbarara City, expressed concern over the limited government funding allocated to mental health, which she says is primarily directed toward treatment at Butabika National Referral Hospital. “Mental health treatment is long-term, often lasting three to six months, and the costs in private facilities are overwhelming for many families,” she said.
Kyarimpa emphasized the need for government support to private mental health centers, arguing that such partnerships could ease the financial burden on patients and improve access to care. She also highlighted the widespread misconceptions surrounding mental illness, noting that many Ugandans still attribute mental health conditions to witchcraft. “Instead of seeking help from psychiatrists, people resort to prayer or isolate their loved ones,” she said.
She further cautioned against the misuse of rehabilitation centers, saying some families bring relatives after minor domestic disagreements, hoping to “keep them for a while,” without recognizing that the underlying issues may lie elsewhere. “Rehabilitation centers are not minor prisons,” she stressed.
Kyarimpa also urged parents to build stronger emotional bonds with their children. “Many youths suffer silently with depression because they fear opening up to their parents. The consequences can be tragic,” she warned.
She revealed that majority of their clients are the youths struggling with addiction which she thinks if their is good relationship between parents and their children, such habits can be realized at early stages and this would require simple intervations and quick outcome.
Martin Bakundana, founder of LEM Mindfulness and a passionate mental health advocate, recently finished a mental health awareness tour around seven schools in Western Uganda.
He observed that students face immense psychological pressure, often exacerbated by poverty and lack of parental care. “Teachers rarely take time to understand the emotional struggles of their students. When basic needs like school fees aren’t met, it’s unrealistic to expect academic excellence,” Bakundana said.
He warned that such stress can spiral into depression and eventually mental illness. Bakundana called on stakeholders government, civil society, educators, and parents to unite in raising awareness and promoting mental well-being.
As Uganda grapples with increasing mental health challenges, advocates insist that prevention, education, and community support must become central pillars of the national response. Without these, they argue, treatment alone will never be enough.
