Pubdate: Mon, 11 Jul 2005
Source: Monitor, The (Uganda)
Copyright: 2005 The Monitor.
Contact:  http://www.monitor.co.ug/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2934
Author: Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Kampala
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

ALCOHOL, DRUGS MAJOR CAUSE OF MENTAL ILLNESS

EXCESSIVE consumption of alcohol and narcotic drugs are said to be 
the major causes of mental illnesses.

The Ministry of Health Director for Clinical and Community Services, 
Dr Sam Zaramba, said although people are encouraged to change their 
habits, many of them have continued to drink alcohol and consume 
illegal drugs like Marijuana.

According to a United Nations Human Development Report issued last 
year, Uganda spent $145million on alcohol.

"We really still have a big burden to bring down the prevalence of 
mental illnesses. The issue of alcohol and drug abuse is seriously 
finishing us and the people of Butabika can tell you this," he said.

Zaramba was speaking at the opening of the 3rd National Stakeholder's 
Forum organised by Basic Needs UK (BUU) in Kampala last Friday.

BUU is an international NGO aimed at ensuring that the basic needs 
and rights of mentally ill people throughout the world are respected.

This comes days after it was announced that Uganda ranks number one 
in the consumption of alcohol.

Report

According to the 2004 Global Status Report on alcohol released 
recently by World Health Organisation (WHO), Ugandans consume alcohol 
at a rate of 19.74 litres per capita and Luxembourg follows at a rate 
of 17.54 litres per capita.

Zaramba commended BUU for working closely with his ministry in 
ensuring that the needs and rights of mentally ill persons are upheld.

"As Ministry of Health, we really appreciate Basic needs UK's role in 
this area and we hope with that approach a lot will be done to reduce 
the problem," he said.

Recently, BUU released a report showing that 1.47million people out 
of the total 26.8million Ugandans suffer from severe mental 
illnesses, and psychiatrists believe the number might be higher.

According to Dr. Margaret Mungerera, a senior psychiatrist at 
Butabika Hospital, the number of people with mental disorders is 
likely to be high because the BUU study did not cover the whole 
country. The study only covered the districts of Kampala, Masaka, 
Hoima Sembabule and Masindi. Uganda has a total of 56 districts.

"Basing on what we see, the country might even be having a bigger 
number of psychiatric victims. Take example of poverty among the 
people, the northern Uganda war and the changed lifestyle, all these 
can cause mental disorders," Mungerera said recently.

The BUU study was started in 2002 to determine whether Uganda would 
be eligible to initiate a mental health and development programme.
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