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PACTA –Uganda to hold mental health camp in Acholi
28 October 2026, 11:10 am
By Ekel Bonny Daniel
PACTA-Uganda will hold a community mental health and addiction camp on November 12 in Gulu to promote awareness, prevent addiction and provide counselling and medical support. Health professionals are urging compassion, early intervention and stronger community collaboration.
PACTA-Uganda will hold an Integrated Mental Health and Addiction Community Camp on November 12, 2026, to promote mental health awareness, support addiction prevention and encourage people experiencing substance-use problems to seek professional help.
The camp, announced during a media briefing held on Tuesday 27th October 2026 at For God Centre in Gulu City, is expected to bring mental health and addiction information and services closer to communities in the Acholi Sub-region.
Dr. Ivan Fabio Olal, a medical officer at PACTA-Uganda located at For God center in Wii-Aworanga in Bardege Layibi division Gulu city said the initiative forms part of a wider awareness campaign planned for October and November, targeting more than one million people through media engagement, schools and community activities.
Services and activities expected at the camp include mental health education, addiction counseling, medical assessment, psychiatric and psychological support and family guidance and eye-health services involving an ophthalmology team.
PACTA-Uganda founder and director Rev Fr. Samuel Okidi Mwaka said addiction affects people across different social and economic backgrounds, including students, professionals, parents and businesspeople.
He urged families and communities to support affected individuals rather than condemn them, emphasising the importance of compassion, early intervention and appropriate treatment.
The Uganda Medical Association representative in the Acholi Sub-region, Dr Samuel Joel Opio, who also serves as Secretary for Publicity and Mobilisation for the Doctors of the Acholi Sub-region, expressed support for the initiative and called for stronger collaboration among health professionals, community leaders and the media to promote mental health awareness and addiction prevention.
The camp will take place at PACTA-Uganda’s premises at For God Centre in Gulu City, where community members will have access to mental health awareness, addiction counselling and other support services.