Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital is struggling to cope with a surge in mental health cases as the number of patients seeking care exceeds the facility’s capacity.
According to Dr. Archbald Newton Bahizi Sebahire, the hospital director, the Mental Health Unit—originally designed for 40 patients—now accommodates more than 50, forcing some to sleep on the floor due to overcrowding. The unit receives about 60 outpatients and 40 inpatients daily, most of them young adults aged 18 to 30 years.
Dr. Bahizi said the majority of patients suffer from mental illnesses linked to substance abuse, including marijuana, alcohol, and khat. Others present with psychosis, depression, bipolar disorder, and conditions triggered by trauma, domestic violence, and mounting social and economic pressures.
He called for greater investment in mental health services, including integrating care into public health systems, expanding infrastructure, and combating stigma. “Addressing mental health challenges is a collective responsibility,” Dr. Bahizi said.
Martin Ibanda, the hospital’s principal psychiatric officer, noted that the unit is severely understaffed, with 18 nurses instead of the required 28 and four psychiatric clinicians instead of seven. The facility also lacks a clinical psychologist and a senior psychiatric specialist.
A 2024 Uganda Bureau of Statistics report estimates that about 5.5 million Ugandans are living with probable mental health conditions, most commonly depression, anxiety, and substance-related disorders.
Data from the Ministry of Health’s Health Management Information System shows that between 2020 and 2024, alcohol-related mental illnesses rose by 58 percent, diagnosed depression by 26.8 percent, and anxiety disorders doubled.
Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital serves 10 districts — including Kabarole, Kasese, Kamwenge, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Bunyangabu, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kitagwenda, and Fort Portal City — further straining its resources.
The report comes as Uganda joined the rest of the world on Friday to mark World Mental Health Day under the theme “Access to Services – Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies.”
