The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Anita Among has on Wednesday November 10, 2021 met with the parliamentary forum on mental health, the mental health working group, and officials from the ministry of health to discuss how the mental health challenges can be addressed.

The delegation to Parliament was headed by Dr. Kenneth Kalani the Head of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Division in the Ministry of Health.

Among thanked the partners for supporting the MPs by building capacity and asked the legislators to use the knowledge acquired to address the needs of the communities.

She Urged fellow MPs to push for the establishment of counselling units in all schools before reopening to address the challenges caused by the pandemic, especially on the girl child.

She further promised to support the MPs in pushing for more funding to address mental health challenges.

Mental and behavioral disorders are common, affecting more than 25% of all people at some time during their lives.

They are also universal, affecting people of all countries and societies, individuals at all ages, women and men, the rich and the poor, from urban and rural environments.

In 1997, Mental Health Uganda (MHU) an indigenous, Non- Government, membership-based Disabled People’s Organization, was established and formally registered as a National NGO in 2001.

This was in response to the overwhelming marginalization, isolation and abuse of rights of persons with psycho-social disabilities/users of psychiatry services, and their families.

The organization says, their mission is “to create a unified voice that influences the provision of required services and opportunities, in favor of people with and survivors of mental illness in Uganda and it is based in all regions of the country.

The composition of members includes people with mental illness, caregivers, and service providers. Caregivers are the primary contact for persons living with mental illness and often play a very important role to ensure that the user of psychiatric services accesses the required medical treatment, adheres to the treatment, and receives other basic requirements of life.