FRONTLINE MENTAL HEALTH STAFF OVERCOME COVID 19 RESTRICTIONS, THANKS TO mhGAP!

PCO* Joseph Wakabi, who leads the mental health team at Kagando Hospital, often gets in touch with encouraging photos and information about the clinics they have just held in the more remote villages.

However, the Ugandan Government, like many others, last week imposed movement restrictions to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus. This means that the team is unable to continue their usual programme of outreach clinics.

But…Joseph has just told us that they have been able to send supplies of medication to the outlying Health Centres. Not only that, because a staff member from each Health Centre was trained in the course of Kagando’s mhGAP roll-out programme, the Health Centres have been able to carry on treating and caring for those with mental illness, even under lockdown.

 

And the regular Tuesday mental health clinic at the hospital still runs as normal; 40 people came for treatment yesterday.

Great work, Joseph and the Kagando team!

 

 

 

 

 

 

*A PCO is a Psychiatric Clinical Officer; these staff usually lead mental health services in Uganda.
Kagando Hospital lies to the west of Uganda, almost on the border with Congo.

Linda Shuttleworth, JF Trustee.