Rewarding Steps in the Development of Multi-Disciplinary Teams and Services for Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Uganda

Abstract

About 57% of Ugandans are children. Yet, mental health needs of the child population largely go unmet. Psychiatric problems have severe & often irreversible consequences. They interfere with the ability to participate in education, relationships and work. Many Ugandan children have experienced psychological trauma during wars and unrests, abductions (in Northern Uganda) as child soldiers, physical or sexual abuse, bereavement (especially from AIDS), poverty and increasing disparities. As such, there is a great need for child and adolescent mental health services. Uganda had only five psychiatrists with additional training in Child & Adolescent mental health. The child and adolescent psychiatrists have additional responsibilities - teaching, administration and adult psychiatric services. This article describes steps being taken to develop local capacity for child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) services through training of multi-disciplinary teams