Government wants schools to establish mental health clubs

The Ministry of health has asked schools to establish mental health clubs to curb the increasing cases of drug abuse among school going children.

According to Dr Hafswa Lukwata, the assistant commissioner, mental health and substance abuse at the Ministry of Health, such clubs will help children discuss issues around mental health.

“We want them to understand the signs and symptoms of mental illness, and we want them to understand that if someone has a mental problem, what we can do for them, and give them information about the networks or about the linkages where these young people can go in case they have a problem,“ she said.

According to the last global youth tobacco survey 2019 done in Uganda, 11.7% of young people use all the different forms tobacco.

Dr Lukwata said the survey also indicated that the difference in smoking tobacco between the males and females amongst the young people was more less the same.

“Unlike for adults, the adult number is actually 7.8% meaning the young people are smoking more than adults. And for the females, it is just 1.4% of the adults who are smoking meaning that the young females are smoking more than the adult counterparts, “she said. 

She was speaking at the third national prefects’ conference that attracted prefects from schools in Buganda region, heads of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as security agencies on July 25.

The conference was held under the theme, “Drug abuse effects on mental health.”

Dr Lukwata also warned the young children against early smoking.

“And that is very dangerous because when you start to smoke early, most likely you are going to get addicted and you are going to continue to smoke endlessly in your adulthood, “she added.

Civil Society Organizations specialising in Mental Health have welcomed the idea of mental health clubs in schools especially at a time when the effects of Covid19 are still prevalent in communities.

Mr Derrick Mbuga Kizza, the Executive Director, Mental Health Uganda however said these clubs must be able to respond to the direct needs of children.

“The clubs must be safe spaces where children can go and seek support, care and find someone to speak to, someone who will provide that emotional support that they so badly need,” Mr Kizza said.

He says clubs must also meet the right standards, ethic must be met and children be see them (health clubs) as a natural environment, natural space where they can go and share their problems.

According to health experts, smoking and taking alcohol in a woman is dangerous because to those pregnant it affects the unborn child, it affects the reproductive system and it affects the woman’s future.

She called for continuous talking to young people so that they never start smoking.

Mr Aggrey Kibenge, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social development wants parents to be at the center in the fight against child abuse.

“The parents are at the Centre of this efforts and that why as a Ministry we have even developed parenting guidelines with the view that we can get back the parents to their primary responsibilities. Children do not belong to government, do not belong to schools, don’t belong to community, children are first and foremost owned by the parents,” Mr Kibenge said. 

“It’s only those that unfortunate have lost parents that now look to the other levels of support that may be around them like the extended families, “he added

As a measure to fight drug abuse in schools and communities, Fr Charles Mpiima, Chaplain, St Joseph’s Technical Institute Kisubi says government must enforce the existing laws.

“If government don’t enforce the laws that are in place, then that is our worry as our hands are tied up. Marijuana is on the market, they know the people, they know the areas where they sell it but then the enforcement is not carried out,”

In August 2023, Parliament passed the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Bill, 2023 which allows the licensed farming and use of marijuana strictly for medical use, and sets harsh penalties for a multitude of offences related to substances abuse.

Drugs Apaana team leader Ms Ann Ssebunnya, the organizers of the conference in partnership with Butabika hospital said empowering young student’s leaders will ensure development of peer educators who will go back to their respective schools and talk to their fellow youth on the dangers of drugs and subsistence abuse.

Student leaders through Ainawe George William of St Patrick High School, Hoima called for everyone to stand up and do something about the fight to end drug abuse in children.