Drug and alcohol abuse are contributing to growing mental health concerns among young people in Katakwi District, with Katakwi General Hospital recording an average of 20 mental health cases every month.
Records from the hospital’s psychiatric department show that at least five cases of mental disorders are reported weekly, alongside concerns about substance abuse, suicide and epilepsy.
Health workers say many of the young people seeking treatment have a history of substance use, including smoking marijuana, excessive consumption of waragi and other local spirits, and inhaling potentially harmful substances.
Isaac Ocom, a medical officer in the hospital’s psychiatric department, says peer pressure and the influence of social groups are among the factors pushing young people into substance abuse. He also cites poverty and family history as factors that may contribute to the problem.
Ocom has urged residents to recognise mental illness and substance abuse as health concerns that require professional attention, rather than stigmatising affected individuals.
He encouraged young people and their families to seek help from Katakwi General Hospital and other available referral points for assessment and treatment.
The concerns extend beyond health, with religious leaders warning that substance abuse is also affecting young people’s education and prospects.
Bishop Dr Franco Onaaga, the General Secretary of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) Uganda, says protecting young people from drug and alcohol abuse is essential to the country’s future.
Onaaga estimates that between 10 and 20 per cent of young people have dropped out of school because of drug abuse, although he did not provide data to support the figure. He has called on the government to enact and strengthen laws to protect young people from drug abuse and alcohol consumption-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
