par Numbi Ilunga, Anna ;Munezero, Belyse;NDAYIKUNDA, Alain;NKURUNZIZA, Edouard;KAMANA, Jeanine;Nimpagaritse, Manassé;Labat, Aline
Référence European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health (13: 20-23/11/2023: Utrecht Netherlands)
Publication Non publié, 2023-11-20
Poster de conférence
Résumé : Background: The management of mental illness is a major challenge in Burundi: lack of specialized caregivers and drugs, but also difficult geographical and financial access to health facilities. The current study is illustrating the challenges faced by patients suffering from epilepsy or from another type of mental disease (dementia, schizophrenia…) in Muyinga and Ngozi. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 169 patients randomly selected from the patients received for mental health disorders (including epilepsy) in three hospitals (01/01/2020 - 31/10/2021). Results: The first recourse for assistance was in a conventional care facility (health center (HC) or hospital) for the majority of epileptics (79,3%) while it was only 65,9% for the other diseases who use more the traditional or religious sector. The first contact with a health facility was delayed for 60% of the patients in general. It was mainly in less specialized facilities for epileptics (district hospital (DH) 47,1%, HC 36,8%) and in hospitals for the other mental illnesses (specialized hospital 48,8%, DH 35,7%). While first consulting in DH or HC most of the patients are not referred even if skills and drugs are lacking in mental health at these levels (no referral for 58% of non-epileptics). Conclusion: Mental health in Burundi include epilepsy, but as illustrated there are much more challenges for non-epileptics patients. These illnesses are not well-known by the caregivers of the HC, the cost of their treatment is very important... that’s why they need specific actions. Is integration of the mental health care in the primary health care services the future solution?

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