Gov't asked to introduce mental health education in schools

Government is being  asked to introduce mental health education in schools with an aim of fighting the increasing mental health issues from the grassroot.

While speaking to the press, Janet Kantalama a psychologist and also the   Executive Director Safe Places Uganda a private mental health service provider notes that, when children are equipped with mental health knowledge,they do have proper ways of handling/solving   numerous challenges that may lead to their poor mental health.

“May we have mental health education in schools so that we start them young, educate children on how they can maintain good mental health, how they can know when their mental health is suffering and what they can do to get support for their mental health , this can help in reducing  on the people that are not aware”, Kantalama stated.

She highlighted the importance of self-awareness for anyone going through mental health challenges explaining  that when one is self-aware, they will be able to notice the various changes within them and quickly seek help.

Kantalama also called for   more funding towards mental health and psychosocial support related activities saying that it eases the fight against the vice.

“Fighting poor mental health involves a lot of work such as prevention, treatment among others and funding would help in many ways including making research on a national level, getting prevalence figures for mental health challenges so that we are working from the point of knowledge “, she explained.

“Can we have more protective policies and also implement the ones that are available”,Kantalama said and stated that failure to implement them has greatly contributed to the increasing mental health issues across the country