By Sadique Bamwita
KAMPALA
The State Minister for Higher Education Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, has asked stakeholders across the country to break Stigma surrounding mental health challenges.
He hailed key stakeholders like the Islamic World Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) for its efforts in the fight against escalating mental health issues especially among the youths.
He made the remarks at Kampala International University while addressing the youths and University students on the plight of persons with mental health challenges on Tuesday, 5th March, 2024.
“Uganda has greatly benefited from ICESCO programs. The organization has empowered rural women with sewing machines and has also equipped young people with digital equipment. The future of Africa and Arab world seems promising given this era of global networking. Indeed, ICESCO is a key development partner in Uganda especially in the education sector more so in the area of science and technology,” Dr. Muyingo expressed his appreciation.
He also noted that one in three women and one in four men you meet, experience mental depressions. On this note, he asked the affected persons to see no shame in seeking mental health care.
“Mental health Care is a cornerstone for our social and psychological well-being and therefore, there is no shame for one to seek mental health Care. In order to embrace mental health Care, we must break the stigma associated with mental health issues,” he said.
Muyingo said mental health Care is a shared responsibility for all and appealed to community members to support campaign programs geared towards addressing mental health challenges.
“You should offer psycho-socio support without discriminating victims. I call upon families especially mothers and fathers to render palliative care to their children,” he said.
The Director General Islamic World Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) , Dr. Salim Al-Malik, disclosed that globally 86 million adolescents in age brackets of 10-14 years and 15-19 years, suffer mental health disorders. He adds that it’s against this backdrop that his organisation gives mental health care a main point of concentration and announced plans to establish a center of mental health care at Kampala International University.
“Mental health has emerged due to a number of issues. In the face of many challenges, we have discovered the problem is more pronounced among women and adolescents. Given the magnitude of the problem, ICESCO has released funds to set up a center of mental health Care at Kampala International University to handle and counsel victims of mental health challenges,” he said.
The Deputy Executive Director Butabika Mental Hospital, Dr. Mutamba Byamma, noted that the most vulnerable group of people with mental health issues are young persons saying majority of them abuse narcotic drugs which negatively affect their mental well-being.
The Vice Chancellor Kampala International University as well as an executive member of ICESCO, Prof. Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, said he is delighted with the offer by ICESCO through the Ministry of Education and Sports to set up a mental research desk at Kampala International University that will handle issues of mental health by providing psycho-socio support in addition to training and mentoring people in handling mental issues.
“First and foremost, Kampala International University is glad to be part of the long week 20th anniversary celebrations for the Afro Arab youth council since its inception in 2004. We pray that the youth council is able to raise the required money to construct it’s headquarters in Uganda,” he said.
He revealed that the University has in place a department of Applied Psychology where students and staff who need counseling are counseled saying during Covid-19 period, many students dropped out of school while some staff members lost their jobs. Many of them got Mental challenges and needed to be counselled to regain hope.
” The issue of mental health is a big problem in Uganda and is steadily growing up especially among the youths and to aggravate matters the youths are so exposed to narcotic drugs and anti social behaviors which is soon culminating into a big dilemma if not addressed urgently,” he added.
The Secretary General Afro Arab youth council, Hon. Dr. Abbas Agaba Mugisha, said it has been discovered that both the rich and poor are suffering equally in terms of mental health challenges and called on stakeholders to step up campaign programs aimed at addressing mental health issues.
In other news, the Islamic World Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation ( ICESCO), appointed youth ambassadors of peace who will represent 64 member states under their umbrella body Afro Arab youth council. Minister Dr. Muyingo urged the appointed peace ambassadors to fight for peace worldwide while ICESCO Director General Dr. Salim Al-Malik asked them to be good promoters and advocates of peace.
