KAMPALA, Uganda — The Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) has tasked Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital to strengthen its mental health services as part of efforts to reduce congestion at Butabika National Referral Hospital.
The directive follows concerns raised by legislators over the increasing number of mental health patients overwhelming Butabika.
The committee, in its earlier interactions with Butabika officials on March 16, 2026, observed a high depression rate of nearly 4.6%, with an increase in suicide rates. The hospital also registered a high level of mental illness in children at 22.9%.
Committee Deputy Chairperson Hon. Gorreth Namugga, who chaired the meeting with Entebbe Hospital officials on April 1, 2026, said the situation has been worsened by limited capacity at district and regional health facilities, which are expected to manage a significant portion of mental health cases.
“Butabika came here and complained about congestion with mental health cases, saying the lower facilities lack capacity to handle such cases at their level,” Namugga said.
Namugga added that the current trend, where most mental health cases are referred to national facilities, is unsustainable and places undue strain on Butabika.
The committee learned that Entebbe Hospital currently has the capacity to attend to at least 43 mental health patients per day, mainly on an outpatient basis. The hospital lacks adequate infrastructure to admit patients who require prolonged or specialized care.
Lawmakers called on the hospital to develop and submit proposals outlining the support required to strengthen mental health services at the facility. These proposals, MPs said, will inform Parliament’s consideration while preparing the 2026/2027 national budget.
Hospital Director Dr. John Bosco Nsubuga said that although the hospital has a functional mental health unit staffed by seven medical officers, it is constrained by lack of space to handle in-patient cases.
“We have a mental health unit with seven staff who see patients on OPD because for in-patients we have failed to find a special room,” he said.
Legislators expressed concern that without admission facilities and adequate staffing, the hospital’s contribution to easing congestion at Butabika will remain limited. They asked officials to provide data on the nurse-to-patient ratio in both the mental health and neonatal units to guide planning and resource allocation.
