Butabika opens private ward

Jun 01, 2012

The Butabika National mental health referral hospital has started a private ward for patients who may need privacy while on admission.


 By Florence Nakaayi and Agnes Nantambi

The Butabika National mental health referral hospital has started a private ward for patients who may need privacy while on admission.

Speaking at the launch of the mental health community dialogue and sports gala at Old Kampala secondary school playgrounds, the deputy executive director, Dr. David Basangwa, said patients in the private ward will only pay for accommodation.

"We charge sh60,000 per day for accommodation.  Medicines, investigations and other services remain free," he said on Saturday.

Under the private ward arrangement, patients will enjoy a private room, washrooms and a second bed for the attendant.
The function was organized by an NGO of people surviving with mental disabilities, Mental Health Uganda (MHU), with the theme "We can improve the living conditions of People with Mental Disabilities (PWMDs).

Members of MHU Associations countrywide, formed teams which competed in the netball and football gala. MHU executive director, Julius Kayiira said the event aimed at sensitizing the public about mental health so as to fight stigma related to mental illnesses and promote rights of people with mental disabilities (PWMDs).

"We want to break ignorance on mental illness. Many PWMDs are discriminated, mistreated and killed due to the poor perception people have about them," he said.

He said the community dialogue will be celebrated annually in different parts of the country to promote rights of PWMDs and their recognition as productive members of the community.

Users of psychiatry and care givers welcomed the introduction of the private ward at Butabika hospital. "Since mental illness can develop to everyone, it is good that this ward will cater for the high class with reduced stigma" said Patricia Athieno, a user of psychiatry and national chairperson, MHU.

Basangwa said the private ward has been long overdue but they could not offer the facility due to limited staff. Government, however recently recruited 20 nurses in the hospital. The number of psychiatric doctors remains 32.
The private ward has a total admission of 30 patients at a time. He however said with the availability of staff, they will increase admission to at least 70 beds.

About 15 patients are admitted to the hospital on a daily basis while total admission has increased from 650 to over 700, increasing the bed admission to 130%.

The increase in the number of people developing mental disabilities is attributed to substance abuse drug, HIV/AIDS related problems among others.

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