From global commitments to local action: Why mental health can’t wait

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OPINION

By Faith Nassozi Kyateka

At this year’s United Nations General Assembly, world leaders reaffirmed a truth we can no longer ignore; ‘there is no health without mental health’. The 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health marked a significant moment when governments were asked to make new commitments to accelerate progress towards the delivery of mental health services for all who need them, wherever they are needed in schools, clinics, or hospitals or within their own communities.

As the world commemorates World Mental Health Day 2025, today is an opportunity to focus on translating commitments into action and promises to implementation. The question before us is simple yet profound. When will we finally turn commitments into tangible change?

Across Africa, mental health has long been under-prioritised, receiving less than 1% of national health budgets on average. Services remain centralised in urban areas, while most people live in rural regions with limited access to care.

In Uganda, mental disorders affect nearly 24% of adults and 23% of children and adolescents, making mental illness one of the leading causes of disability in the country. Depression and anxiety are widespread, with studies showing a 17% prevalence of depression and 13% for anxiety among adolescents, especially those out of school.

Uganda’s mental health workforce remains critically low. The country has only 19 psychiatrists trained to offer mental health care and serve a population of over 47 million. Most of them are based in Kampala, meaning people in other areas of the country have little or no support. Stigma, cultural beliefs, and poverty further hinder help-seeking behaviours. The message is clear, the need is imminent, the resources are small, and the time for action is now.

The 2025 UNGA High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health was a turning point. Governments, including the government of Uganda, overwhelmingly endorsed actions recommended by the global mental health community to prioritise youth mental health, deinstitutionalise mental health services, prevent suicide, and protect people from social and commercial determinants that harm well-being.

At a side event organised at Uganda House in New York, StrongMinds Uganda and the Ministry of Health showcased how partnerships can expand access to care. StrongMinds’ six-week group talk therapy model delivered in schools, refugee settlements, prisons, clinics, and communities has treated over one million people for depression since 2014 in several African countries, with the majority being in Uganda and Zambia.

“All of our clients see reductions in their depression symptoms, and 74% are depression-free after therapy ends,” said Vincent Mujune, Country Director of StrongMinds Uganda.

Minister of Health Hon Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to delivering mental health services through the Uganda Mental Health Act, which aligns national services with international standards. Assistant Commissioner Dr Hafsa Lukwata highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to train health workers under the WHO programme to improve the diagnosis and management of mental disorders.

Uganda’s policy that aims to offer mental health support in communities and ensure those with mental health needs are treated with dignity and care offers valuable lessons for other countries.

The move for mental health campaign: Global solidarity in action

Change is not only happening in policy rooms, but also on the ground. United for Global Mental Health has teamed up with Lululemon’s campaign “Move for Mental Health.” The campaign has mobilised people worldwide to move, walk, dance, run, or practice yoga in solidarity with those facing mental health challenges.

In Uganda, anyone can participate; organise a community walk or run. Each action signals that mental health is a shared responsibility, helping to break stigma and demonstrate unity.

This global wave of movement is a call for inclusion, visibility, and shared humanity. Advocacy must go beyond policy documents; it must live in our communities, our conversations, and our actions.

As we mark World Mental Health Day, Uganda has an opportunity to turn global commitments into tangible change at home. From the halls of the UN in New York to communities across Uganda, one message is clear, mental health is not a privilege but a right. The progress seen through partnerships like that of StrongMinds and the Ministry of Health shows that community-based care is not only possible but also life-changing. Now is the time to build on this momentum: to invest, to act, and to move together for mental health.

The writer is the Communications Consultant with United for Global Mental Health