Health 1 April 2026 Parliament of Uganda
Parliament Directs Entebbe Hospital to Boost Mental Health Unit Amid Butabika Overcrowding
Uganda's Public Accounts Committee has instructed Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital to enhance its mental health services to alleviate congestion at Butabika National Referral Hospital. The move addresses rising depression rates, suicide cases, and high mental illness among children, exacerbated by limited capacity at lower-level facilities. Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/news/4381/expand-mental-health-unit-entebbe-hospital
The Public Accounts Committee (Central Government), chaired by Deputy Chairperson Hon. Gorreth Namugga, met with Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital officials on April 1, 2026, to tackle mental health challenges.
Legislators highlighted severe overcrowding at Butabika National Referral Hospital, stemming from earlier observations on March 16, 2026. Key concerns include a depression rate of nearly 4.6 percent, rising suicides, and 22.9 percent of mental health cases involving children.
Namugga noted that district and regional facilities lack the capacity to handle many cases, forcing referrals to Butabika and creating unsustainable pressure.
Entebbe Hospital currently manages about 43 mental health patients daily on an outpatient basis but lacks space for inpatients needing extended care. Director Dr. John Bosco Nsubuga confirmed the unit has seven medical officers but no dedicated admission room.
MPs urged the hospital to submit detailed proposals for infrastructure and staffing improvements. These will shape Parliament’s decisions for the 2026/2027 budget.
The committee also requested data on nurse-to-patient ratios in mental health and neonatal units to better allocate resources.
Source: Parliament of Uganda