A psychiatrist, Dr Olatunde Ayinde says Nigeria needs to make mental health for all a priority given that mental health conditions are very common and at least one of every seven Nigerians would end up with a mental health condition in their lifetime.
Dr Ayinde, who spoke at the 2022 World Mental Health symposium organised by Oyo State Primary Health Care Board in partnership with Asido Foundation and Medical Women Association of Nigeria, stated that mental health conditions are everywhere in Nigeria and commoner in vulnerable groups like abused women and the unemployed.
He stated that mental health conditions are diseases of the brain and broad in dimension even though many people assume that only people are seen roaming the streets unkempt and in torn clothes have mental health illnesses.
According to him, despite the high burden of mental health conditions, their treatment is hampered by many reasons, including the low concentration of healthcare workers, poor government policies on mental health, wrong perceptions of people about mental health conditions, poverty, human rights abuses, stigma and discrimination.
Dr Ayinde added, “up to 80 per cent of people with mental health conditions in Nigeria as a result don’t get any treatment at all in 12 months because of all of these.”
To reverse the trend, he said there was the need for increased advocacy for mental health services, increased support for mental health services by all stakeholders, stem brain drain in the health sector, and revision of Nigeria’s obsolete mental health policy as well as the integration of mental health into primary health services.
Dr Toyosi Ogunfowora, head of psychiatry, at Adeoyo Specialist Hospital, Ring road, stated that women’s mental health needs to be prioritised because mental health illnesses like eating disorders and depression are more common among them.
She added, “some women have mental health and come up with symptoms like chest pain which was due to was due to depression. When you become cranky or irritable, reduce your stress by prioritizing yourself, do things that will support your work and outsource what you can so that you can relax.”
In her remark, President, MWAN, Oyo State chapter, Dr Oyindamola Adeyemi stated that focusing on women’s mental health is important because managers of homes are more liable to stress due to pressures of life and as such, they should prioritise their mental health.
Executive Secretary, Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Muideen Olatunji declared that mental health was a neglected component of primary healthcare services and it should be of concern in the community because Nigeria’s economic downturn and use of intoxicants that imparted negatively on people’s health.
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