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Bauchi first lady inaugurates mental health steering committee

Bauchi State First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed on Friday inaugurated the state steering committee on mental health and rolled out the helpline for use by members of the public for quick response on mental health issues.

Speaking at the ceremony held at the Hazibal Hotel, Bauchi, the first lady emphasised the critical importance of mental health intervention within the health facilities and communities.

According to her, mental health is not merely the absence of illness; it encompasses emotional well-being, resilience, and the ability to cope with life’s challenges.

“According to World Health Organization (WHO), one in eight people globally are living with mental health conditions, with depression being one of the leading causes of disability and the most common emotional problem experienced during adolescent age,” she said.

Represented by the overseeing Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, Dahiru Abdullahi, Aisha Bala Mohammed said that, “Yet globally, people with mental health conditions continue to receive inadequate services.

“It is no doubt that many Nigerians are going through different forms of mental health challenges; the WHO status report on mental health in Nigeria estimates that 20% or around 40 million Nigerians are affected by mental health conditions with only about 10% of those with seriously disabling mental health conditions receiving any treatment within the previous 12 months.

“Traditionally, mental health services focused on secondary prevention, detecting and treating disorders after their onset. However, converging evidence highlights the potential of primary preventive and promotion strategies.

“By addressing mental health early, we can prevent worsening conditions, reduce suffering, and enhance overall well-being. I therefore call the attention of all relevant stakeholders and partners to come up with innovations and strategies on how best mental health interventions in communities would be strengthened.

“It is in this view, that the state mental health steering committee will be established, following directives from the FMoH. The mental health steering committee will ensure proper coordination, strengthening and implementation of mental health interventions in the state,” She explained.

Aisha Bala Mohammed used the medium to reaffirm that the ultimate goal of the administration is to have, “a fully functional, result oriented, affordable, accessible and inclusive health services that focuses more on the most disadvantaged, particularly people living in the rural areas, and the vulnerable population such as women, children and the elderly.

“This government is fully aware of the challenges in the health sectors, including that of mental health services. We are also fully aware that, to have a fully functional health system, we must revitalize our health facilities, strengthen our coordination mechanism, improve our systems in terms of transparency and accountability, and invest heavily on our human resource for health and research. This will not only address the identified challenges, but also reverse the negative health indices that are associated with.”

She, therefore, extended her gratitude to Global Affairs Canada for providing funds through Plan International to set-up a mental health toll-free line in order to provide mental health and psychosocial support services to individuals in needs, especially the adolescents.

“As an active player in the state health sector, I know that Global Affairs Canada, through Plan International implemented the BORN project during which women, adolescent girls and children were reached with high impact interventions such as provision of mama kits, renovation of health facilities, provision of hospital equipment and training of health providers to deliver quality health care. The people of Bauchi are saying a big thank you.”

The first lady said that the event demonstrates the total commitment of the administration under the leadership of the Governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed who placed health at the top of his priority agenda.

Aisha Bala Mohammed concluded saying, “let us champion mental health intervention as a collective responsibility. Together, we can create a world where mental well-being is prioritised, stigma is eradicated, and timely support is available to all. Remember, mental health matters, and our actions today shape the well- being of generations to come.”

In his remarks, State Commissioner of Health, Dr Adamu Umar Sambo said that with the inauguration of the Steering Committee, the issues of mental health will get the required attention.

The Commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ali Babayo added that the constitution of the steering committee was in line with the directive of the Federal Ministry of Health and facilitated by Plan International under the ASPIRE project.

He assured that the steering committee will be accorded the necessary support to enable it perform its responsibilities as contained in the term of reference for its operation.

The event was organised by the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with Plan International, Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

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