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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The decision to designate the psychiatric ward at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital into a Covid-19 isolation unit has affected the delivery of mental health services. Apparently, patients in need of admission are being referred to Butabika Mental Referral Hospital since the hospital lacks space to accommodate them.
Last month, the management of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital decided to designate the psychiatric ward at the hospital a Covid-19 isolation unit because of a surge in the number of patients in the then isolation unit at the outpatient department.
The decision was informed by the space in the psychiatric ward. However, health workers in the unit say they have been struggling to manage mental cases since the unit was designated a Covid-19 isolation unit. Dr. Stephen Masaba, the head of the psychiatric ward at Mbale regional hospital says more than 20 patients were discharged prematurely from the unit after it was it was designated to host Covid-19 patients.
He says although these have continued to seek medical attention and pick their refills, the changes have greatly affected health service delivery at the unit. “Those who already have mental problems have found it hard to access the services because many think the ward is no longer working. This has led to increase in lapses in the community and even those referred to Butabika find challenges in getting there” Dr. Masaba said.
The department now only offers outpatient services in the orthopedic department where it was relocated to. Masaba says they have referred over 20 patients to Butabika hospital since the psychiatric ward was closed. He however says most of the patients can’t travel due to lack of a functional ambulance.
According to Dr. Masaba, the number of mental health patients visiting the facility has dropped to between 3 and 5 patients daily compared to 10 previously.
Stanley Itakali has been undergoing rehabilitation at the psychiatric ward at Mbale Hospital since 1981. He says the services at the hospital have been good until when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country. “The environment in which we are getting services is not conducive like it was the other time even recovery takes time because people will take time to adapt to the new environment,” he said.
Itakali says the decision to turn the mental health unit into a Covid-19 isolation unit is a clear indication that people with mental problems are not a priority to health officials.
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