The Parliamentary forum subcommittee on mental health holds a field fact finding mission to Wakiso District

The Parliamentary forum subcommittee on mental health yesterday held a field fact finding mission to Wakiso District to collect more data about mental health issues in the District.
The committee which includes Members of parliament, sub committee members from Education and Health together with the Ministry of Health interfaced with District officials and had fruitful deliberations on issues of mental health which are on the rise in the District.
This was attributed to depression of parents which in the long term affects the mental health of children.
The Member of Parliament for Toromo county Hon. Kaluo Joseph revealed that Parliament is ready to appropriate funds to the Ministry of Health to recruit psychiatric health workers in all HCIVs to handle mental health issues since the mental health situation in the country is alarming.
He called upon stakeholders to support the alcohol bill adding that its important to regulate alcohol drinking in the country.
Strong minds Uganda an NGO is spearheading works to treat depression to scale.
The prevalence of depression is estimated at one in every four people with women affected more than men.
According to the district project officer Strong Minds Uganda, Susan Adikini, the high burden of depression most sufferers go untreated thereby affecting their functionality, participation in development efforts, education and livelihoods.
The meeting follows a submission of a petition to duty bearers from the parliament committee of Education and health to the Speaker of Parliament to collect more data about mental health in the country.

Of recent there has been increasing cases of suicide among learners.