Psychiatrists call on FG to address determinants of mental health

On Dec 14, 2023

A Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Jibril Abdulmalik, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to intensify efforts toward addressing the determinants/factors that were worsening mental health conditions in Nigeria.

An Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Abdulmalik, UCH Ibadan, made the call at the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba on Wednesday, in Lagos.

The event has the theme: “Worsening Social Determinants of Mental Health in Nigeria: A Case for Higher Priority for Mental Health.”

He said that the government had 90 per cent responsibility to proffer solution to the factors contributing to increase of mental health cases thereby provide the enabling environment for the citizens to thrive.

According to him, it is the statutory responsibility of government to guarantee a peaceful environment and ensure that people are lifted out of poverty and are economically empowered to be able to carry out their responsibilities.

“The major role of the government includes safeguarding the safety of lives and property.

“We need to have a peaceful environment devoid of crime, insecurity; an environment where people can flourish and be able to fullfil their potential in order for them to enjoy good mental health.

“If you have to go to sleep with one eye closed, you cannot sleep well and if you don’t sleep well, you will not be well rested. So, safety of lives and property are paramount.

“And all these leads to frustration, anxiety and depression, which in turn affects and worsens the state of mental health of the people.

“So, it is the statutory responsibility of the government to guarantee safety of the economy and ensure that social determinants are put in place to improve the overall wellbeing of the citizens, including their mental health,” he said.

Prof. Taiwo Obindo, the President, Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria (APN), says that Nigerians are prone to mental illnesses, due to the visible economic hardships in the country.

Obindo, a Keynote Speaker at the event, said that the current economic hardship, coupled with the level of insecurity in the country might likely inflict mental illness on more Nigerians.

According to him, the Nigerian society is a culture medium for organisms that put people at risk of mental illness.

“These include inflation, poverty, child abuse, rape, broken homes and broken marriages, financial problems, traumatic experiences and degrees of violence among others

“In some cases, the individuals may not even know they are being exposed to mental health conditions; but the truth remained that the social crisis are taking a toll on the mental health well-being of the citizens.

“If you look at the degrees of social crisis and hardships and compare it with what goes on in other climes, you will discover that we have a greater predisposition to developing mental illness,” he said.

The Medical Director, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, called for education of the populace on the social determinants of mental health and how to cope with them.

Owoeye said the citizens need to be sensitized on these factors that could affect their mental health to enable them apply the necessary coping mechanisms in order not to be affected.

“Mental health services should be integrated into the primary healthcare system, HIV and Cancer programmes so that more people both in the urban cities and grassroot can easily have access to it,” Owoeye said.

Dr Tolu Ajomale, Coordinator, Mental Health Desk, Lagos State Ministry of Health, enjoined the psychiatric professionals to leverage on various opportunities abound in the mental health subsector.

According to him, psychiatric professionals can expand the telemedicine services, develop business model/care or startup collaborations with cooperate bodies.

He added that they could start up a drug treatment facility through which, a lot of people could have access to mental health services.

Earlier, Dr Adesina Ismail, President of ARD, said that more than half of the number of mental health workers had been attracted to foreign countries.

Ismail urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to address the factors driving the increase of brain drain in Nigeria.