Depression accounts for 20.8% of mental illnesses in Nigeria — Expert

A medical expert, Dr Monday Famakin says depression is the most common illness that affects mental health in Nigeria, accounting for 20.8 per cent of all mental health conditions seen in the country.

Famakin, Director, Primary Health Care (PHC), Ibadan North Health Authority, while speaking at the 2021 World Mental Health Day organised by the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board in collaboration with the Goodworker Ministry International in Ibadan, said about 56.6 per cent of Nigerians have a mental health condition, with depression, drug and alcohol use accounting for 20.8 per cent and 20 per cent cases of these conditions.

According to him, “Individuals with schizophrenia are the common ones we see on the street, but it is not the commonest mental health illness; rather mental illness due to depression, drug abuse or taking alcohol are the commonest that we have. People have all these mental health conditions but are unaware. The conditions sometimes manifest as anxiety, extreme mood changes, problems with sleeping, feeling down, outburst of anger, irritability and so on.”

The medical expert, noting that Nigeria ranked 15th in the number of suicidal countries per year, stated that individuals become predisposed due to increasing age, hereditary factors, brain injury, complications during pregnancy and birth, use of alcohol and drugs as well as stressful life situations.

Dr Famakin said stigma and gross inadequacies of facilities and psychiatrists have worsened mental health conditions in Nigeria even as more people resort to seeking help from spiritual homes.

In his remarks, Dr Johnson Osoko, Director of PHC, Iseyin Health Authority, stated that there is a wide gap of unmet need for mental health services in Nigeria given that 76 to 85 per cent of people with mental disorders still lack access to treatment.

Dr Osoko declared that aside from the few who receive treatment, inadequate integration of mental health into primary health care system and knowledge gaps for health care providers particularly at the PHC level were challenges against the attainment of good mental health in the country.

Earlier, acting Solicitor-General, Mrs Folabimpe Segun-Olakojo speaking through Mrs Nkechi Shittu, stated that there is the need for more research and collaboration with legislators to ensure that the mental health law in Nigeria is amended, rights of mentally challenged people are adequately taken care of and increased awareness of individuals on mental health.

Chairman, Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Honourable Abiodun Dada Awoleye said that free mental health counseling is to be integrated into primary health care just as desk officers for mental health are to be trained to work at the local government councils to improve access to mental health care in the state.

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