A recent report on mental health shows that mental health experts are stigmatized just like their patients.
The report released by John Paul II Justice and Peace Centre in March this year, questioned whether the highly stigmatized field of health care also reflects on the mental health experts.
The findings show that psychiatrists face widespread stigma both from the general public and from their peers within the medical profession.
The report titled “Mental Health in Post-conflict Northern Uganda in the context of modernization and traditional beliefs “shows that mental health remains a highly marginalized field with experts working under more challenging environments than other health professionals.
According to Alfred Avuni, who co-authored the report, this situation poses a big challenge in the treatment of patients with mental disorders. He says it also discourages others from specializing in this field.
Uganda has only 33 qualified psychiatrists against the country’s 34 million people.
