Experts in mental healthcare, including the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, have reiterated calls for relevant authorities to decriminalize attempted suicide. This appeal was made during the closing of a two-day National Dialogue on the Rights of Persons with Mental Illness in Uganda’s Criminal Justice System, held in Kampala under the theme: “Strengthening Collaboration and Partnership for Better Mental Health Services in Uganda’s Criminal Justice System.”
Meanwhile, two newly launched reports on the impact of prolonged prison detention reveal that more than half of Uganda’s prison population—currently over 78,000 inmates—suffer from mental health disorders.
