Makerere University has started on the process of establishing a psycho trauma centre to address increasing rates of trauma and stress related mental disorders in the country. The centre shall also be used as a coordinating psycho-social training in the East and Southern Africa.
Professor Peter Baguma, the dean Makerere University School of Psychology, says the five-year project shall cost approximately cost about 4.5 billion shillings.
He says a survey conducted by a team of British and Ugandan psychiatrists in 2008 on the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder established a high rate of trauma related illness among Ugandans.
He says the study established that 30 percent of the people in Uganda were suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, related illness and that northern Uganda has the highest recorded cases than anywhere in the world.
According to Baguma, the causes of trauma-related illnesses include armed conflicts that result into sexual exploitation, gender-based violence, rape and internal displacement; natural calamities; domestic violence; HIV/AIDS; acid attacks; child abuse; traffic accidents and poverty.
Professor Baguma says the Makerere trauma centre shall implement psychosocial interventions to enhance therapeutic healing of individuals, families and communities. He says the centre shall also be used for multidisciplinary research in psycho-trauma.
The centre shall also address trauma related to internally displaced peoples in northern Uganda, cattle rustling, and extreme poverty.
On the treatment approaches, Professor Baguma says centre shall encompass mitigating the effects of trauma, capacity building, knowledge creation, awareness raising and advocacy to deal with the problem of psycho-trauma.
Hasfa Kabejja, the communications officer Makerere University College of Humanities and Social Sciences says the project is expected to start at the end of next year.
According to Kabejja, in April this year the university embarked on establishing collaboration with government officials in the education ministry, universities, Non Governmental Organizations, individuals and researchers involved in trauma work in raising the required amount of money.
She says by the end of the five year project the university expects to have trained 20 students and equipped 160 organizational staff with the best skills in handling trauma cases in the country.
