By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE CITY
Experts have spoken out on high cases of mental patients registered at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital noting that the new trend of smoking gray hair is one of the leading causes.
Speaking at the half day workshop organized by ‘Strong Minds’, a Non-Governmental Organization on Friday, 27th October 2023, David Masaba, the Head of the Psychiatric Department at the hospital noted that the cases are on the rise.
According to Masaba, the hospital is currently having 40 patients with mental problems but they have only three staff to handle the patients who are not enough.
He adds that people who are mainly admitted are between 7 to 18 years of age due to drug abuse, and smoking of gray hair among others.
Immaculate Akedeo, the advocacy manager of Strong Minds said that as Uganda celebrates International Mental Day, elders should counsel youths against involving in drug abuse as a way of reducing mental cases.
Sandra Mukholi, a village health team member accused pastors and witch doctors of partly contributing to the increased cases of mental illness by not referring such patients to hospital claiming that they can pray or perform rituals for them to cure.
