Investigate Butabika Hospital -Mental Health Uganda

The Mental Health Coalition of Uganda has asked the Uganda Police to investigate allegations of corruption, human rights abuse, and sexual exploitation of persons with mental disabilities at Butabika hospital.

 On Wednesday, Patricia Atim from Disability Law and Rights Center, School of Law Makerere University,  presented their demands on behalf of the coalition,  at MHU offices in  Kampala.

Atim revealed they are giving police two months to investigate the allegations in the New Vision Newspaper series published from January 12th to Sunday, January 15^th, 2023.

In the series, allegations of forced hospitalization and treatment,  seclusion, chemical and physical restraints,  sexual exploitation, overcrowding, and quality of meals and their delivery to the patients were raised.

Atim said if police fail to investigate the matter, they will have no choice but to bring stern Public  Interest Suit  against the Government of Uganda, the government of Uganda, she averred  has got a duty to protect the rights of people with mental health even in such facilities

“ Butabika hospital does not have an active complaint mechanism or fully monitoring body. There seems to be no way to hold psychiatric facilities accountable for human rights abuses. It is in this regard that we as a coalition now call for action because the government of Uganda has got a duty to ensure that the rights of persons with mental disabilities even in facilities are not abused” she added.

The coalition wants the minister of Health and Uganda Human Rights Commission to open up an inquiry  into the allegations against Butabika Hospital with a view to instilling a human rights-based approach to mental health care. The ministry of health should also fast-track the implementation of section 3[F] of the mental health Act  2019 to ensure that community mental health services are integrated into the treatment and care of persons with mental disabilities.

Daniel Lubanga, Head of programs at Mental Health Uganda noted that they were alarmed and utterly dismayed by the allegations at Butabika hospital,  which should be thoroughly and conclusively investigated, and perpetrators prosecuted.

“Members of this coalition have severally reported on various human rights abuse cases that have been experienced in Butabika and other psychiatric facilities yet these are not investigated, followed up, or accounted for,” said Lubanga.

Stephan Kambenge of Embrace culture asked the government to ensure early access to diagnostic services for persons with mental health issues, especially those living with autism.“ It is the role of the government to ensure that all citizens are able to access medication and rehabilitation services right from the grassroots level,” he stated.