Soroti Regional Referral Hospital Overwhelmed by Youth Mental Health and Substance Abuse Crisis

Health professionals and local leaders in the Teso sub-region have raised serious alarms over a sharp increase in young people seeking mental healthcare. Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is struggling to manage a heavy influx of patients at its Mental Health Department, burdened by severe staffing shortages and chronic medicine stockouts.

Dr. Blessed Tabitha Aujo, who heads the department, reported that daily admissions climbed to over 20 patients in June, nearly doubling previous averages. Health workers attribute this growing crisis to changing parenting dynamics and an alarming trend where youths consume dangerous industrial substances, particularly aviation fuel, alongside illicit drugs and prescription medications. These substances severely impair brain function and elevate the risk of anxiety, depression, and psychosis.

The medical burden is compounded by extreme resource constraints. Dr. Aujo remains the sole Ministry of Health-employed psychiatrist serving the entire Teso region, extending her reach into Karamoja and parts of Bugisu without a resident psychologist or adequate psychiatric nursing support.

Local administrators and community advocates are urging coordinated interventions, including enhanced security checks on dangerous substances and the establishment of a dedicated public rehabilitation center in the region. Meanwhile, stories of resilience offer hope, as individuals like former local councilor Geoffrey Ewatu actively demonstrate that recovery and productive living are possible with proper treatment.

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