The Ministry of Health (MOH) has revealed that the rate at which men suffer mental illness in Uganda is higher than that of women.

The Assistant Commissioner in charge of Reproductive and Infant Health, Dr. Richard Mugahi made the revelation on behalf of MOH during a press briefing on Monday, November 13, 2023.

He attributed the high numbers to the fact that men have a very poor health thinking behavior.

“There are more men in Butabika National Referral Hospital than women. Yes, there are women too, but the men are more. Even in hospitals, we find that men come with very severe illnesses because they take long to come to the health system,” Mugahi said.

He said that, the ministry has joined hands with the Ministry of Gender and the Police to organize the upcoming International Men’s Day scheduled for November 19, 2023, which Uganda has set to celebrate on November 30, 2023, at Kololo Independence Grounds to sensitize men and inform them of the need to be friendly to the healthcare systems and participate in early check-ups.

“Men take long to come to the health system, that is what points the picture of why we need to put a lot of emphasis on men because we know that losing men early is also not good because at 63 years, a man is still very productive,” he noted.

Every year on November 19, International Men’s Day (IMD) is observed globally to honor men’s beneficial contributions to society, families, and communities.