Butabika National Referral Hospital is facing a severe staffing crisis, with only 14 psychiatric specialists serving more than 1,000 patients, hospital officials have revealed.
The hospital’s Executive Director, Juliet Nakku, disclosed the situation while appearing before the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament of Uganda.
Dr. Nakku said the national mental health referral facility urgently needs Shs120 billion to address critical gaps in operations, infrastructure, and human resources.
“The hospital is overwhelmed and our staff are overburdened,” she said. “Currently, one nurse attends to more than 60 patients, which is unacceptable.”
Her remarks come amid growing concern among Members of Parliament over the rising cases of depression and suicide in Uganda.
Dr. Nakku stressed the need to strengthen mental health services at regional and community levels to enable early diagnosis and treatment, and to reduce pressure on Butabika.
“We need to take mental health services closer to the people,” she urged.
The hospital’s challenges are compounded by the limited national budget for mental health, with only about one percent of the health budget allocated to mental health services.
Health experts say the low funding has resulted in inadequate staffing, poor infrastructure, and limited resources, making it difficult for the hospital to deliver comprehensive care to the growing number of patients seeking treatment.