The Programme Manager for mental health and substance abuse in the Ministry of Health, Dr Sheila Ndyanabangi has said that even people with mental health issues ought to be respected and allowed to enjoy their rights as human beings.
She observed that people with mental health problems are often mistreated, disrespected and traumatized by calling them names and some even go ahead to chain them up like wild animals.
“I don’t like the way people with mental health problems are treated in our communities. They are denied jobs, right to inherit family property, they are not taken as important and neither are they respected by the communities instead they are cursed and seen as outsiders, it must stop,” she said
Dr Ndayanabangi made the remarks while addressing the media on the commemoration of the world mental health day, Friday at the Ministry of Health headquarters. The function was running under the theme “dignity in mental health and mental first aid for all.”
According to David Basangwa, the head of mental programme Ministry of Health and Executive director of Butabika hospital, Ugnada is in great need of mental health first aid since it was missing in our country.
“Mental health first aid is for all of us since the problem is on the rise. Butabika has over 800000 patients and there are more out there, we should not wait for it to eleviate. Let our people learn the signs of mental illness and help each other for a safer environment and above all, save lives” he said.
“Mental health is like a wound it does not hurt if you don’t touch it but if you do, the pain may get out of hand. So if one gets a mental breakdown they need immediate attention more so people who have been in difficult crisis’s like rape, divorce, domestic violence and so many other cases.”
In 2009 World Health Organization provided a systematic review and it indicated that physiological first aid is needed so as to restore hope into the people more so the patients.