UNFPA boss speaks out on the mental health crisis report

United Nations Population Fund country representative for Uganda Kristine Blokhus, has urged the Government to elevate mental health to a national development priority.

The call follows the release of the 2025 State of Uganda Population Report, which describes the crisis as a “silent emergency” threatening the country’s human capital ambitions.

In a February 20, 2026, statement, Blokhus says mental health must be seen “not only as a clinical issue, but as a driver of economic productivity and national competitiveness.”

She also underscored the link between maternal health and mental wellbeing, noting that perinatal depression and complications such as unsafe abortions, infertility and obstetric fistula contribute to anxiety, depression and social isolation.

“Maternal health and mental health are deeply intertwined. Early marriage and adolescent pregnancy heighten the risk of school dropout, economic exclusion and long-term mental stress,” she said.

She noted that mental health needs were rising, particularly among Uganda’s youthful population and economic pressures and unemployment are intensifying psychosocial stress.

Citing the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, she revealed that 54 per cent of married women aged 15–49 have experienced violence by a husband, warning that GBV is “significantly correlated with a heightened and pervasive risk of severe psychological distress.”

She said mental health must move from the margins to the centre of national policy and public health planning.

“There is no demographic dividend without mental well-being. There is no human capital without dignity and hope,” she declared, setting the tone for what she described as a “wake-up call” for Uganda.

“Untreated mental health conditions weaken educational outcomes, labour participation, and household resilience, undermining the country’s ability to harness its demographic dividend,” she added.

Overall cases surge by 71 per cent

According to the report, facility-reported mental health cases increased by 71 per cent in just three years, rising from 494,326 cases in 2021 to 843,295 in 2024.

“Facility-reported data indicate that mental health cases increased by 71 per cent between 2021 and 2024, with mental health conditions affecting 24.2 per cent of adults and 22.9 per cent of children,” the report states.

The report states that high-risk conditions such as depression, substance-use disorders and self-harm are “increasing rapidly, particularly among adolescents, youth, and working-age adults,” the report warns.

The UNFPA chief pointed to Uganda’s youthful population as both an opportunity and a vulnerability.

“Our young people are our greatest asset, but many are struggling silently with psychosocial stress worsened by economic pressures and limited support structures,” she said.

“If we fail to act, we risk losing the very generation that can drive Uganda’s future.”
She also highlighted the close link between mental health, gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual and reproductive health.

“Mental health influences sexual and reproductive health outcomes, and experiences of GBV and reproductive health challenges significantly shape mental wellbeing across the life course,” she said.

She cited the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, noting that more than half of married women aged 15–49 have experienced some form of partner violence — a statistic that she described as “a national tragedy with profound psychological consequences.”

“These traumatic experiences lead to complex mental health issues that are often ignored, stigmatised or untreated,” she said.

She called for greater integration of mental health services into existing health systems, especially at the community level.

“With robust mental health care systems and by integrating mental health and wellbeing into health service delivery, we can make real progress,” she said.

She cited Uganda’s Mental Health Policy, efforts to integrate services at the primary care level, and the expansion of community-based models as promising steps — but stressed that much more is needed.

“This is not a task for the health sector alone,” she said. “It requires the commitment of policymakers, civil society, families and communities.”

The director of Butabika Hospital Julliet Nakku described mental health as a “silent emergency” that can no longer be ignored.

Nakku said the situation on the ground reflects the stark findings in the report.

“We are witnessing an ever-increasing number of patients seeking mental health services. As we speak, Butabika is full beyond capacity — not even to the brim, but beyond the brim. While the demand for services continues to rise, it is placing enormous pressure on already stretched facilities and personnel,” she said.

“This may be good news because more people are coming forward to seek care, it also presents serious challenges for our health system and for the quality of services we are able to provide,” she said.

She said the hospital currently operates with less than half the number of psychiatrists required to manage its patient load.

Across the country, Nakku said several regional referral hospitals still lack dedicated mental health units, and districts have yet to operationalise mental health focal person positions provided for under the law.

“The need to expand infrastructure and provide more mental health beds for our growing population cannot be overemphasised.  If we do not act now, we risk compromising the future of our country,” she said.

Nakku noted that substance abuse, particularly among young people, has compounded the crisis.  She decried lack of funds and the frequent stockouts of psychiatric medicines, especially outside Kampala that has further undermined the treatment outcomes and productivity.

She called for increased investment, mandatory recruitment of regional psychiatrists, scholarships to train specialised professionals, and the mainstreaming of mental health across sectors such as education, labour and local government.