Beginning Again, This Time With Help

December 03, 2021

The YouBelong team visited ‘Sarah’ in a village in Kampala for a pre-hospital discharge family assessment. Sarah is the mother of Annet, a 21-year-old diagnosed with HIV induced psychosis.  We were led by Sarah to a temporary housing structure made of wood where she had arranged some seats for us. There was a big pile of wood stacked in one corner and in another corner there was a mattress, a bag and utensils.

During the assessment Sarah told us that she and her daughter sleep in this makeshift structure, which belongs to her friend and it is what they call home. Sarah said that on many occasions Annet complains that they do not have a place of their own and she cannot support her mother to build their own home. Annet is a teacher by profession but because of the COVID-19 lockdown which left schools closed for approximately two years, she lost her job and cannot support her mother anymore. Her mother sells pancakes which earn her only enough for them to have 1 meal a day. Sarah believes that the conditions under which they live greatly affects Annet’s mental health. During this year she has had two admissions at Butabika hospital; she stoped her medication because she does not see any hope for recovery.

The YouBelong team, in the post discharge phase designed a plan for Annet and her mother to ensure that Annet maintains recovery at home. She was referred to Nansana outreach clinic which is a walkable distance from their home where she would be reviewed and get her medication re filled at no cost. Annet was educated about the relationship between HIV and mental illness and also encouraged a re connection to her HIV clinic.