Rwanda’s Ministry of Health plans to conduct an in-depth assessment of the state of mental health following several reports of increasing numbers of people battling mental illness.
According to a study in 2018, the prevalence of mental health disorders was estimated at 20.5 per cent among Rwandans.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences have apparently increased the number of people with mental health disorders.
In October 2022, Ndera Neuro-Psychiatric Teaching Hospital reported that it had received 7,817 patients battling depression compared to 1,743 recorded in 2021.
According to the Ministry of Health, the above-mentioned factors informed the decision of a need for a comprehensive study to understand the magnitude of the issue and how best it can be addressed.
Dr. Jean Damascène Iyamuremye, the Director of Psychiatric Care Unit in the Mental Health Division told The New Times that the Ministry of Health intends to explore the mental status of the Rwandan population and the impact of COVID on mental health.
He said: “Mental illnesses are among our major concerns as a society and can affect several areas of our welfare. There are many causes including physical, psychological or social problems.”
According to the 2018 report, the City of Kigali had the highest percentage of mental disorders, especially in Gasabo district with 36 percent, followed by Southern Province with 30 percent in Huye.
Dr Iyamuremye explained that mental illness can be avertable and curable when it is treated early by qualified professionals.
“Rwandans should consult recognised health facilities which are available countrywide instead of stigmatizing and discriminating against people with mental illness,” he told The New Times.
In its 2021/2023 report of the activities, the National Commission for Human Rights, had highlighted the state of mental health patients after touring several hospitals across the country.
The findings informed the parliamentary standing commit on on Unity, Human Rights and fight against Genocide to summon officials from the Ministry of Health to explain in details the state of mental health illness and what government was duing about it.
The law determining functions of the National Commission for Human Rights confers the responsibility of visiting mental health facilities without notice to the commission.
Part of what the commission did was monitoring the respect of human rights of persons with mental illness in 32 hospitals, including CARAES Ndera with its branches of CARAES Butare and Centre Icyizere, two University Teaching Hospitals (CHUK and CHUB), three referral hospitals (Referral hospital of Kibuye, Ruhengeri and Kibungo) thee provincial hospitals (provincial hospital of Ruhango, Rwamagana and Bushenge) and 21 District hospitals.
The Commission found that out of 531 hospitalized patients, only 299 have families, 203 are hospital supported, 18 are district supported while 11 are supported by other permanent benefactors.
It found that the persons with mental illnesses who were treated therein hospitals were 531, comprising 222 women, 282 men, 14 boys and 13 girls.
442 patients among them, representing 83.2 per cent, were treated by CARAES Ndera psychiatric hospital and by its branches of CARAES Butare and Centre Icyizere because it is a hospital specialized in the treatment of mental illnesses and possess appropriate equipment as well as psychiatrists specialized in the treatment of such diseases.
CARAES Ndera psychiatric hospital was accommodating 303 patients ( representing 147 per cent) out of 206 as its capacity while CARAES Butare was accommodating 118 patients (107.2 per cent) out of 110 as its accommodation capacity, which proves a high occupancy rate in these two psychiatric hospitals.
During an interview held between the Commission and the Ministry of Health, the Ministry declared that as part of solving this problem, another psychiatric centre is being built in Gasabo district and this centre will support CARAES Ndera.
Beyond hospitals, the commission also found out that there were 352 refugees with mental illnesses
During the monitoring carried out by the Commission in 31 hospitals and Icyizere Centre, it found that the rights of patients with mental illnesses who are followed up are respected, as indicated in the commission’s report.
The patients, according to the report, are treated appropriately, they are visited by their families and they are not subjected to torture and other cruel or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
“Although a lot has been done to ensure that patients be cared for appropriately, the Commission finds that it is necessary to strengthen collaboration between institutions so that problems notices in some hospitals be solved, including inadequate hygiene be resolved; so that the quality of medical care provided to persons with mental illnesses be improved , become cheaper and accessible to a large number of those who need it,” read the report.
While appearing before the commission, the State Minister in the Ministry of Health Dr Yvan Butera, said that there is need for a mass campaign for the public to know what mental illness is, when and where to seek medical help.
Regarding the issue of insufficiency of doctors and services provided to psychopaths, he explained that there is a plan to increase medical schools that would produce more practitioners.
