What you need to know:
- Students said that the pressure to balance academics with survival is unbearable and the major cause of mental problems.
West Nile Sub-region has reported a hike in cases of mental disorders among students, attributing it to the struggle to raise tuition fees, consumption of toxic substances such as marijuana, illicit alcohol and political unrest.
Muni University Vice Chancellor, Prof Simon Anguma Katrini, said the burden of anxiety and depression is common among Ugandan students and those from the refugee communities who fled conflicts in their countries.
"For example, take the South Sudanese refugee students; they already have a background that is quite traumatising, and their background affects the health of the mind greatly, so in this situation you find them greatly depressed,’’ Prof Anguma said.
Adding that, ‘’Even our students who are Ugandans are affected by several problems; tuition is one of them. We always see problems when we are approaching examinations, and many normally seek assistance while depressed, so the socio-economic background, especially for disadvantaged students, is a major cause that should be looked into"
Prof Anguma noted the urgent need to address the issues among them through addressing social challenges, enacting an ordinance that controls the production, sale and consumption of toxic substances.
The problem which was voiced during the commemoration of this year’s World Mental Health Day in Muni University is dominant across the 12 districts in West Nile Sub-region.
"If this vice is not dealt with, the region's human resource and the quality of graduates released to the job market will be affected," Prof. Anguma warned.
Uganda’s National Institute of Public Health puts depression among Ugandan university students at 45%, above the global average of 20%, while anxiety levels range from 30% to 95.4% depending on the institution, and general psychosocial distress stands at 36.5% to 46%.
Some students told this publication that the pressure to balance academics with survival is unbearable and the major cause of mental problems.
"You are in university, your parents are not providing financial support, you are supposed to cater for your financial needs and also read books; balancing between the two is not easy; some of us come from families where you also need to contribute to the daily bread. Your mind is generally not settled," said Ms Anika Gladys, a student at Muni University.
Mr Robert Isigoma, the Minister for Students with disabilities, highlighted the situation, saying, “We persons with disabilities face challenges including accessibility, denial by other students, and lack of facilities like sign language interpreters, and this alone can affect mental health,"
Broken homes, domestic instability, loss of traditional family support upon joining campus, and relationship challenges have also been highlighted as perpetrators of the condition.
To address the problems, students are now demanding youth-friendly mental health corners around universities and other tertiary learning institutions.
"I am recommending the establishment of student- and youth-friendly corners where they can easily share their issues while bearing in mind confidentiality," said Ms Ayeerwot Deborah, a final-year student.
The 2025 State of Uganda Population Report shows facility-reported mental health cases increased by over 70% between 2021 and 2024, with 24% of adults and 23% of children affected nationwide, while in West Nile alone, nearly one in four people are affected.
Author, Mr Drileba Dratibi Daniel, urged deliberate investment in counselling services, cutting the supply of illicit drugs, and reducing financial pressures on students.