Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has urged Ugandans to seek medical care for people experiencing mental health conditions rather than treating them as criminals, as advocates call for greater awareness and access to treatment.
Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi has urged Ugandans to take people experiencing mental health conditions to hospitals for treatment instead of police stations, calling for greater compassion and understanding towards those affected.
Baryomunsi made the appeal during the Mental Health Run 2026, organised by the Ministry of Health and its partners as Uganda joined the rest of the world to mark World Mental Health Day on October 10.
Despite heavy overnight rainfall, participants, led by the minister, turned up for the run aimed at raising public awareness about mental health conditions and encouraging people to seek professional help.
The event brought together health officials, mental health advocates and members of the public to promote understanding and challenge misconceptions surrounding mental illness.
“People should not take those experiencing mental health conditions to police stations and treat them as if they are criminals. They should care for them and take them to hospitals where they can receive the treatment they need,” Baryomunsi said.
The minister also encouraged Ugandans to exercise regularly and maintain healthy diets as part of efforts to support their mental well-being.
“Ugandans should embrace physical exercise and pay attention to what they eat because these practices can help promote better mental health,” he said.
Baryomunsi added that mental health runs launched during the event would be held in different parts of the country to extend awareness campaigns and encourage people experiencing mental health challenges to seek help.
Richard Mukasa, a mental health recovery advocate, shared his experience of living with a mental health condition for more than 30 years before receiving appropriate treatment.
Mukasa said he and his parents initially struggled to understand his condition, which affected his education and delayed access to appropriate care.
“We took a long time with my parents to realise that I was experiencing a mental health condition. We did not know what to do, and this affected my studies,” he said.
He explained that his family sought help from different places but only began to see progress after he was referred to specialists in mental health care.
“We moved from one place to another looking for treatment, but I eventually got help when I was taken to specialists who understood my condition. They helped me receive treatment, and I was able to recover and continue with my life,” Mukasa said.
Drawing from his experience, he urged parents and school administrators to pay attention to children's mental well-being instead of placing excessive pressure on them to excel academically.
Dr Juliet Nakku, the executive director of Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, called on the government to take urgent measures to address mental health challenges in Uganda.
Nakku said mental health conditions affect many people and require greater public awareness, attention and access to treatment.
Moses Okwera Mugisha, who coordinated the run in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, explained that the initiative was intended to encourage public engagement and improve understanding of mental health.
The event highlighted calls for more compassionate responses to people experiencing mental health conditions, alongside efforts to improve awareness, promote early intervention and encourage access to professional care.