Every year Uganda joins the rest of the world to celebrate Mental Health Day. The theme for this year’s celebration is; ‘Making Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority. The Mental Health Day provides an opportunity for people with mental health conditions, advocates, governments, employers, employees and other stakeholders to come together to recognize progress in this field and to be vocal about what we need to do to ensure Mental Health & Well-Being becomes a Global Priority for all.
Ministry of Health and partners decided to hold national celebrations at a later date due to the fact that 10th October comes right after the National Independence Day celebrations.
The celebrations were then held at Kyambogo University at East End Pitch on Tuesday 18th October 2022 with support of key partners from different organizations that work in Mental Health.
The celebrations started with a walk around the community to raise awareness around mental health.
After the walk, participants were led in a zumba dance by Gerry Opoka from Soul fitness which is one of the ways that people were urged to practice inorder to improve on their mental health and wellbeing.
The celebrations then continued at the grounds with different partners exhibiting their work and also sharing about the work that they do in mental health.
Dr Hafsa Lukwata from Ministry of Health Mental Health Division gave her remarks and appreciated partners for turning up in big numbers to commemorate this special day.
The key note speaker Prof Musisi Seggane shared about the appaling numbers of mental health issues on the rise and urged the public to focus on prevention and making their mental health a priority rather than waiting for disorders and illnesses to develop.
Hon. Macho Geoffrey of the Parliamentary Forum for Mental Health shared about the commitment to push for policies that promote mental health for all Ugandans.
The celebrations were an overall success and we pledge to continue do our part in prioritizing mental health in our work and advocating in the spaces where we represent as well as working with partners to achieve the best mental health structures and outcomes in Uganda.
