No funds for Ebola patients’ mental health support – UVRI

Eugene Kinyanda, the head of mental health research at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has decried the lack of funds to support mental health workers meant to attend to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) victims.

Kinyanda was speaking during a World Health Organization (WHO) Africa virtual press briefing that shed light on the mental health crisis affecting many African countries ahead of the World Mental Health Day slated for October 10.

Kinyanda noted with great concern that although they have the requisite human resource including 50 psychiatrists, 200 psychiatrist clinical officers, nurses, and councilors to attend to Ebola patients in the affected districts, there is no budget for them.

According to the health ministry, the latest Ebola outbreak in Uganda has so far claimed 10 people, and infected 44 people, 8 of whom have recovered.

Written by Juliet Nalwooga