Health experts in Gulu City are raising alarm over the growing mental health burden with calls for more schools to open mental health clubs in order to create awareness among learners.
Toopiny Geoffrey Onyuta, the Senior Health Educator at Gulu City Council, says the City health office is focusing on building the capacity of Village Health Teams (VHT’s) to help fight the problem at community level.
Onyuta further appeals for more schools to embrace mental health clubs as a platform for sensitizing young people about the challenge which continues to affect thousands silently.
He cautions the public against relying solely on traditional means such as witchcraft and prayers only instead of seeking professional scientific help from doctors.
He rallies religious and traditional leaders to use their civic spaces, including churches, mosques and cultural gatherings, to inform the public about mental health and the importance of seeking medical care.
Yoti Moses, a clinical psychologist with the Global Mental Health Alliance says that during a recent mental health medical camp held in Gulu City, each psychologist attended to over 17 patients a day, a number far beyond the professional standard of six patients per day.
He says government should recruit more clinical psychologists in public health facilities, especially hospitals, noting a surge in mental-related problems.
By Martin Odong
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