You are not alone
Get help now
Whatever brought you here, reaching out is not weakness. Here are the ways to find support in Uganda today.
National crisis helplines
These lines are free to call from any Ugandan network and are answered around the clock.
Ministry of Health — National Mental Health Crisis Helpline
0800 211 306
Toll-free · 24/7
Run by Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital under the Ministry of Health. Trained counsellors answer calls about suicidal distress, anxiety, depression and substance use. To speak to a clinician directly, call the hospital line on +256 414 504 376.
Sauti 116 — Uganda Child Helpline
116
Toll-free · 24/7
A Government of Uganda service, run by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development with UNICEF, for children and young people in distress — including abuse, neglect and emotional crisis. Available in English and many local languages on all networks.
Message instead of calling
If speaking feels like too much, a text or WhatsApp conversation is a real option. Reach the Secretariat at info@liveuganda.org and we will point you to the nearest support.
Go to a health facility
Every regional referral hospital in Uganda has a mental health unit. Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital in Kampala accepts walk-in assessments.
Tell one person you trust
A friend, a teacher, a colleague, a faith leader. Saying it out loud to one person is often the step that makes every other step possible.
If you are supporting someone else
- Ask directly. Asking someone whether they are thinking about suicide does not plant the idea. It usually brings relief.
- Listen longer than feels comfortable. Resist the urge to fix, advise or minimise. Being heard is the intervention.
- Stay with them. Do not leave someone in acute distress alone while you arrange help.
- Connect, don't hand off. Go with them to the facility or make the call together where you can.