78% of Nigerians with mental disorder miss treatment —Gureje

A world expert on mental health, Professor Oye Gureje says that in the last 12 months, over 79 percent of Nigerians with current mental health conditions lack access to any form of  treatment.

He added that bridging the treatment gap requires collaboration between traditional health and conventional medical practitioners much more than before.

Gureje, the Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Research in Mental Health, Neurosciences and Substance Abuse at the University of Ibadan, stated this in his keynote address at the 2023 annual scientific conference of the Nigerian Society of Neurological Sciences(NSNS) with the theme “Neurological Disorders in Nigeria: Current Trends”

Professor Gureje, in his lecture entitled “Addressing the Treatment Gap for Mental and Neurological disorders: What evidence do we have?” said expanding service had become very important because only about 10 percent of people with current mental health conditions receive minimal treatment in Nigeria.

The don linked the huge treatment gaps for mental and neurological disorders to the country’s few mental health specialists to look after its huge population, insufficient material resources, poor awareness about the conditions and the belief system that conventional medical practitioners only treat its symptoms and not the root cause.

According to him, despite providers at the Primary Healthcare centres empowered to expand treatment for mental and neurological disorders, still a great proportion of Nigerians with the disorders were still accessing care with traditional health practitioners and faith healers.

“We understand the reason, they are much more common than we are and they share the understanding of the reason why they are actually unwell. Many believe that we have only removed some symptoms, but traditional health practitioners will get to the root of the problem.”

Professor Gureje said that the mental health policy in Nigeria and Ghana also specifically mentioned the need for collaboration with the healers in terms of upgrading what they do and in trying to reach many more people who patronise them for care.

He declared that such collaboration is feasible with evidence suggesting that it will ensure improved patient care and functionality, less stigmatisation, cost effectiveness, reduction in the incidence of harmful practices, shorter period duration on admission at healer’s facility and ensure lesser burden of care for families.

NSNS President, Professor Augustine Adeolu, in his opening remark, said incidence of mental and neurological disorders are on the rise in Nigeria aside from the effects of COVID 19 on the brain and the spine.

Professor Adeolu said late presentation at the hospital is a major challenge because oftentimes, they would have initially been to the traditional medical practitioners and faith healers for care.

Professor Ike Lagunju, the Local organising committee chairman said mental health challenges are on the rise in Nigeria due to stress, psychological issues and use of hard drugs, especially in those with a genetic make up to develop mental disorders.