''Butabika Hospital understaffed''

By Gloria Nakajubi

The director of Butabika National Referral Hospital, David Basangwa has called on government to urgently recruit medical personnel at the facility.

Basangwa revealed that for the last 10 years instead of the facility receiving more health professionals, it has seen a decline in numbers and they currently have only 6 psychiatric doctors and 6 psychiatric nurses.

 He further noted that with the current mental illness statistics standing at 30-35% of the population experiencing treatable mental illnesses, a poorly staffed referral facility may become disastrous.

“The causes of mental illnesses are increasing by the day especially due to displacements caused by disasters and insurgencies in neighbouring countries, increased drug abuse among others. Yet the facility is not being equipped to handle cases effectively,” said Basangwa.

Basangwa was officiating the certificate award giving ceremony for trainees in the Peer Support therapy project, a new treatment procedure that will see former mental illness patients help in managing patients.

The peer support therapy project which has been proved to reduce the number of relapses in hospitals after completion of two years of pilot study will be incorporated in the hospitals treatment procedure.

Peers through sharing their experiences with patients help to boost their confidence and attitude to medication which in a way hastens the recovery process.