The mental health clinic in Kisaasi, a neighborhood in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, continued to receive Sudanese refugees, providing free specialized psychological support services. The initiative aims to assist people coping with the effects of war, displacement, and the pressures associated with them.
The clinic, organized by the Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA), provides assessment, counseling, treatment, and follow-up services, as well as referrals for cases requiring specialized care to other health facilities.
The clinic’s opening was attended by Dr. Hafsa Lukwata from the Mental Health Department at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, underscoring the importance of strengthening mental health services for Sudanese refugees and making them accessible to host communities as well.
Nidal Musa, a psychologist and Sudanese refugee in Uganda, told Mashaweer that “providing a safe and free space for psychological support is an important step for refugees, many of whom have experienced war, loss, and displacement, along with the psychological and social pressures resulting from these experiences.”
She explained that “timely access to mental health professionals helps people understand what they are going through and cope with it in a safer way.”
She also highlighted the importance of maintaining and expanding these services to reach as many Sudanese refugees as possible.
Musa stressed that “seeking psychological support should not be viewed as a sign of weakness, but rather as a natural step toward recovery and regaining the ability to adapt to new circumstances.”
