Using Mobile Mental Health Clinics to Expand Access to Mental Health Care in Rural Post-Conflict North East Uganda

Many of the war-scarred citizens of Uganda’s northeastern Soroti district (population 322,000) suffer mental health problems. However, because mental health is accorded low priority by government and other agencies, people in need of help today resort to uninformed traditional and faith healers. Under this project, primary healthcare workers will be trained to screen for disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, and epilepsy, referring patients as required to additional help and user groups, and sensitising local communities to mental health issues. Innovations include support to trauma victims by community health workers and greater access to medicines through the creation of a service users’-owned pharmacy.