In at least 17 countries, suicide remains a criminal offence – a ‘huge barrier’ to mental health care. As Ghana becomes one of four countries to overturn its law in a year, others could follow
Govt to conduct census for persons with mental health challenges
Sunday May 16 2021
Summary
The ministry is also in the process of establishing regulations for the implementation of the Mental Health Act that, among others, directs that each district should have a person in charge and isolation units be headed by an expert in psychiatry.
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In a bid to improve access to mental healthcare, the Health ministry is set to conduct a countrywide survey to establish the number of people living with mental health challenges.
Dr Hafsa Lukwata, the acting assistant commissioner for mental health and control of substance abuse at the ministry, said the lack of data on the state of mental health in the country had created a gap in planning for those in need of care.
Daily Monitor
Wednesday March 17 2021
Summary
Mr Derrick Kizza, the executive director of Mental Health Uganda, said mental health clinics at all regional referral hospitals except Gulu, Mbarara and Fort Portal, were turned into Covid-19 wards.
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Mr Benon Kabale has been living with bipolar affective disorder for the past 15 years. The mental condition causes mood swings, with extreme highs and lows.
His welfare and management of the condition was, however, disrupted by the total lockdown instituted in March last year when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
The preventive measures that kept him at home worsened the depression, while the restrictions on movement meant he could not readily access medication and care.