Conference Abstract | Volume 8, Abstract NACNDC/19JASH006 (Oral) | Published: 17 Nov 2025
Brian Kirumira1,&, Innocent Okot1, Francis Xavier Kasujja1, Sidon Bigirwamukama1, Elizabeth Nakiyingi2, Noah Kiwanuka Ssekamatte1, Juliet Kiguli1, Richard Mangwi Ayiasi3
1Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda, 2Northeastern University, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Boston, USA, 3Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Muni University, Arua, Uganda
&Corresponding author: Brian Kirumira, Makerere University School of Public Health, Email: briankirumirak@gmail.com
Received: 18 Aug 2025, Accepted: 20 Oct 2025, Published: 17 Nov 2025
Domain: Mental Health
Keywords: Depression, urban refugees, host population, public health facilities, readiness
©Brian Kirumira et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Brian Kirumira et al. Readiness of public health facilities to manage depression among urban refugees and host populations in Kampala District, Uganda. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2025;8(ConfProc6):00006. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO6-00006
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with a significant burden in Africa, particularly among urban refugees. Uganda hosts over 1.7 million refugees, creating substantial mental health challenges in urban centers like Kampala. This study assessed the readiness of Kampala’s public health facilities to manage depression among urban refugees and the host population, incorporating insights from mental health practitioners on existing bottlenecks.
A health facility-based sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed between June and August 2023. We conducted a census of nine public health facilities in Kampala, categorizing them by the level of care they provide: two secondary-care hospitals, three primary-care centers capable of minor surgeries and blood transfusions, and four basic primary-care clinics. Data collection involved a structured questionnaire adapted from the WHO’s SARA framework and rapid hospital readiness checklist, along with key informant interviews with 16 mental health practitioners. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS 26.0. Qualitative data from interviews were analyzed thematically using Atlas.ti Version 9.0.
Readiness was critically low and varied widely (30.0%–76.7%), with only one primary-care center meeting the 70% preparedness threshold. Secondary-care hospitals showed no significant advantage over primary-care facilities (55.0% vs. 51.2%). Qualitative findings revealed interconnected systemic barriers: a critical shortage of mental health staff, gaps in policy implementation, inadequate training, and a fundamental lack of resources, including essential equipment and financing.
Public health facilities in Kampala are largely unprepared to manage depression. This systemic deficit necessitates targeted interventions, including equipping all facilities with standard screening tools and antidepressants, establishing mandatory in-service training, and creating dedicated mental health budget lines to build a functional care system for refugees and the host population
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