A local charity used the Christmas season to highlight the need for stronger mental health care by reaching out to children at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, urging the public to reduce stigma and offer sustained family support to patients.
Soul Foundation held a festive outreach at the hospital’s children’s ward, aiming to ensure that young patients receiving mental health treatment were included in Christmas celebrations.
The foundation’s executive director, Jerry Opoka, said the initiative was intended to promote compassion, inclusion and a sense of belonging among patients.
“Everyone deserves to celebrate Christmas, whether they are in hospital or not,” Opoka said, adding that the foundation wanted to share the true spirit of the season with children undergoing treatment.
He said many mental health patients are often abandoned by their families after admission due to stigma and misunderstanding, with hospitalisation wrongly seen as the end of family responsibility.
“Mental health comes with a lot of stigma, yet this is when patients need love and support the most,” Opoka said. He urged families and the wider community to continue visiting and supporting patients throughout their treatment.
According to Opoka, emotional support becomes especially important as treatment begins to take effect and patients become more aware of their condition.
Soul Foundation coordinator Sarah Maberi said the outreach also sought to challenge negative public perceptions of mental illness and mental health facilities.
“We want to remind people that mental health requires care, understanding and support,” Maberi said, adding that the foundation aims to help de-stigmatise mental health care and institutions such as Butabika Hospital.
The outreach reinforced calls for dignity, inclusion and stronger community involvement in mental health care, particularly during the festive season.
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