Chief Executive Officer, Asido Foundation, Dr Jibril Abdulmalik, says Nigeria cannot talk about health without focusing on mental health given that there is a lot of ignorance and misconceptions around mental illness and this leads to a lot of shame in the country.
Dr Abdulmalik, who spoke at the award ceremony of the second edition of the Asido Foundation’s Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay (JAME) Competition for all undergraduates’ students across Nigeria, stated that nobody is immune to poor mental health and affected person can recover, do well and live productive healthy and fulfilling lives.
Abdulmalik, a consultant psychiatrist, stated that Nigeria still operates the lunacy Act of 1958 which is obsolete and by the name embarrassing, aside from its inability to ensure that an individual having a mental health challenge will be able to enjoy quality mental health care without discrimination.
He, however, said a revised mental health bill has passed through the National Assembly and second public reading and is now at the desk of the Executive awaiting the presidential assent and urged the media to put it on the front burner as a matter of urgent national importance.
Abdulmalik declared that the Asido Foundation is trying to promote knowledge and understanding about mental health conditions so that individuals will know better, be more supportive and empathetic of individuals with mental health challenges.
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According to him, the Asido Foundation was also using the JAME competition, in honour of its pioneer program manager, Miss Jemila Abubakar to engage young people to learn more about mental health and to particularly write on the various topics in mental health on an annual basis.
Miss Jemila Abubakar’s father, the Emir of ilusabaruba, Kwara State, Professor Halidu Abubakar said the occasion was a testimony that she lived a great life and urged parents to nurture their children well and ensure they grow up in the right way.
At the occasion, 15 winners of the 2022 JAME Competition announced included Salim Oyinlola (first position), an electrical and electronics student of the University of Lagos, Goodluck Kamuche (second position), a law student from the University of Calabar and Mr John Egbuzu (third position), an agric and bioresources engineering student from the University of Calabar.
and then