Prioritizing mental health is a vital step towards refugees’ wellbeing in Uganda

In a world fraught with conflicts, persecution, and environmental crises, Uganda stands as a beacon of hope for more than 1.5 million displaced individuals, including South Sudanese, Congolese, and Somali refugees, according to the 2022 report from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). 

Refugees often end up spending years, if not decades, in host countries.  Their successful integration into the host society is dependent on their mental wellbeing.

As many refugees come from areas with deep-rooted conflicts and trauma, they are prone to perpetuating violence. Unaddressed mental health needs can hinder their ability to adapt, find employment, and contribute positively to their new communities. Cases of child neglect, alcoholism, and domestic abuse emerge as a result of daily distress. 

No one wants to leave their home, but people are forced to seek refuge after enduring alarming and frightful experiences and long periods of uncertainty. For some refugees, this uncertainty continues even once they get to the settlements. They are confronted with formidable challenges as they try to rebuild their lives. When social safety nets unravel, the psychological toll on the refugees can be severe.

This harsh reality is discussed in the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) 2023 Mental Health and Psychosocial Services (MHPSS) needs assessment report.

It was conducted across the Palorinya, Adjumani, Palabek, Rwamwanja, and Kyangwali settlements that are home to more than 40 percent of the total refugee population in Uganda.

The assessment found that refugees who have spent more time in settlements are more prone to depression, due to disruptions in social, economic, cultural, and spiritual lives. 

Most of the mental and psychological distresses identified in the refugee communities are found to be related to the limited access to household basic needs as a result of inadequate household income. Consequently, displaced families are often pushed to marry off their young girls for dowries to sustain themselves. Children abandon their education in search of jobs to support their families, or due to inability to pay for basic school supplies and fees. 

Stigma and discrimination against persons with mental illnesses due to misconceptions about the causes of mental illnesses stops people from reaching out for help.

According to the LWF assessment, caretakers of persons with mental illnesses generally seek help from herbalists and traditional healers before taking their patients to hospitals. This often leads to the worsening of many mental disorders. 

An unsettled mind can disrupt peace at home, diminish capacity for work and child care, strain relationships, lead to substance abuse, and even self-harm or suicide.

As documented by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency,  in 2022: 260 refugees attempted suicide and 60 took their lives.

As of April this year, 14 deaths and 93 suicide attempts were documented, with 86 percent of the reported deaths being men and boys. The rate of suicide in Ugandan settlements is 17.3 for every 100,000 persons, which is more than four times the Ugandan average, according to World Population Review.

The LWF report also captures this heartbreaking reality: suicide is a major concern with heightened stress levels due to food insecurity and lack of livelihood opportunities. The fear of societal judgment, particularly among men, is an unspoken, yet deeply significant concern. 

Despite all of these challenges, communities affected by crises have many inherent resources, agency and capacities to cope with adversities. In the wake of an emergency, community members themselves are always the first to respond.

Harnessing their knowledge and aptitudes, LWF provides comprehensive community-based services to address the multiple and complex psychosocial consequences of displacement. 

Multi-faceted efforts are required to destigmatise mental health issues and tackle the root causes.

NGOs, international organisations, and governments need to collaborate to ensure refugees have access to the care and support they need. Supporting refugees’ mental wellbeing can contribute to social cohesion and conflict resolution. 

As we celebrate World Mental Health Day, let’s prioritize mental health services for refugees in Uganda, as part of a fundamental humanitarian obligation, and to uphold their basic human rights.

Adriana Franco Chitanana,Country Representative,Lutheran World Federation Uganda.  
[email protected]