Covid and need to prioritise mental health

The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn have impacted many people’s mental health. Simply put, mental health is sometimes used to mean an absence of a mental disorder and it affects daily life, relationships and even physical health. During this period, it is likely the mental health burden will increase as measures taken to slow the spread of this virus, such as social distancing, some businesses still closed may  lead to greater isolation and potential financial distress to business owners.
Covid-19 has impacted different sections of society, with the most affected being marginalised communities (slum dwellers, refugees, and daily wagers). Migrants and refugees who happen to have high prevalence of psychiatric illnesses, especially depression and live a poor quality of life, also face discrimination, stigma and exclusion . This may have further be jeopardised by the country’s lockdown and the increased loss of jobs during Covid-19 and yet earlier distribution of food to support the poor and vulnerable in major urban areas like Kampala excluded refugees and migrants. This is because in order to receive food you had to present the national ID, which refugees don’t have. 
Not only did they face associated conseqeunces of lack of food like starvation and malnutrition, but also anxiety, stress, exclusion and  depression.
Apparently, considering the lethal comunicability of Covid-19,slum dwellers are at  hightened risk of contracting and spreading the virus. Slums have water shortages and limited access to safe and clean water, making it hard to observe guidlines of hand hygiene, not forgetting its very hard to observe social distancing due to congestion. This has flared up their feelings of segregation and neglect further impacting their mental health. Loss of jobs makes this people unable to make ends meet and this has added on their frustration, mental pressure, paramountly leading to social,  functional impairment and projected increased rates of suicide. 
With the above reports, how much more are those whose life solely depends on hand-to-mouth been affected psychologically? First fear then stress  due to economic downturn by Covid-19. Pessimism ought to be high in these group of people and it cannot be a suprise if suicide rates increase due to depression. Many people are expected to fall back to poverty as this pandemic continues to bite. Interestingly, poverty is one of the major contributers of ill mental health. 

Balak.S.Fidat,
[email protected]