Dr. Juliet Nakku, the Executive Director of Butabika National Referral Hospital, has brought attention to the growing number of graduates battling mental health conditions, many of whom are currently admitted to the facility.
While at the third edition of the Warriors Leadership Summit in Kampala on February 21, Dr. Nakku brought the matter to attention, attributing the surge in mental health cases among graduates and youth to substance abuse and excessive alcohol consumption.
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“In the past, we associated heavy drinking and drug use with the uneducated, but now we are seeing young professionals—graduates in medicine, law, IT, and engineering—falling victim,” she began. “We have so many graduates at Butabika—engineers, lawyers, doctors, among others—who are unable to be productive due to mental health challenges, many of which stem from drug and alcohol abuse.”
Without citing exact figures, Dr. Nakku noted that mental health issues among young people have worsened over the past three years, particularly after COVID-19, with common disorders such as depression, anxiety, and addiction becoming prevalent.
Going on to describe the crisis as an epidemic, fueled by the increasing consumption of drugs like cocaine, crystal meth, cannabis, and khat.
The doctor went on to document the unhealthy lifestyle habits of many young people, including late-night partying.
“Nowadays, young people are sleeping in lounges, returning home at 6 a.m. and failing to get the recommended eight to nine hours of sleep,” she added.
The summit, organized by the Rotaract Club of Kololo under the theme Mental Health and Adversity, aimed to raise awareness and mobilize young people to take mental health seriously.
Club President Christine Nangobi stressed the urgency of the issue, citing a Ministry of Health report indicating that one in three Ugandan youths suffers from a mental health condition.
“This is alarming, and that’s why we are using this platform to highlight the crisis and rally young people to take action,” she said.
The warning comes amid recent Ministry of Health findings that an estimated 14 million Ugandans are affected by mental health disorders, with the situation reportedly worsening in schools.
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