Golf for mental health: Uganda joins global commemoration

The Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Simon Mulongo, has emphasized the need for employers to adhere to workplace mental health guidelines stipulated in the country's laws as a way of improving productivity and the financial well-being of workers.

Mulongo made the remarks during the launch of a one-day golf tournament at Uganda Golf Club, Kitante, ahead of Uganda joining the rest of the world to mark World Mental Health Day on Saturday, October 10.

The tournament is expected to attract several employers from both the public and private sectors, using golf as a platform to raise awareness about mental health in workplaces.

He said a healthy mindset was essential for promoting productivity across the world.

"Statistics show that at least 10 million people worldwide are challenged by mental health issues, leading to a global financial loss of one trillion dollars annually," Mulongo said.

He noted that social and economic pressures, coupled with workplace lifestyles, were among the major factors contributing to mental health challenges among workers.

The minister urged employers to address excessive workloads and unrealistic deadlines, identifying these as some of the workplace practices that could negatively affect employees' mental well-being.

Mulongo said the ministry had chosen sports, particularly golf, as a medium for disseminating mental health information. He called for mental health programs to be institutionalized at workplaces and administrative levels across the country.

"Golf is a sport that brings together high-profile people, including managers and administrators at all levels. When we share this information with them, they can easily adopt these ideals and extend them to other sectors within their organizations," he said.

He also outlined some of the strategic areas through which the ministry was addressing workplace mental health challenges.

Isaac Adam, the chief executive officer of AIM Corporate Wellbeing Consults Ltd, the organizers of the tournament, said the event would tee off at 7:00 a.m. and include a workshop on mental health.

Adam said several government officials had been invited to participate in the golf event as Uganda joined the global community in commemorating World Mental Health Day.

He thanked the sponsors, including Hisense, Uganda Airlines, Marit Kampala Hotel, and MTN MoMo, for supporting the initiative aimed at raising awareness about mental health.

Among the stakeholders who attended the launch were Anne Babinaga, head of public diplomacy; Mercy Omona, a parliamentary official in charge of mental health; Alex Ogwal, principal inspector at the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development; Patricia Nabasirye of MTN MoMo; and Hope Ampurire of New Vision.