The House of Representatives Committee on Special Healthcare has called for stakeholders’ partnership in addressing mental health challenges and other related health cases.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Alex Egbona (APC-Cross River) made the call on Wednesday at a stakeholders roundtable in Abuja.
The lawmaker said that the committee was created to provide the requisite legislative frameworks for improved healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
He said that the roundtable is a partnership and collaborative initiative of the committee to share its mandate and planned activities with identified relevant institutions and organizations.
“I, therefore, solicit the support and partnership of all stakeholders, our development partners, international NGOs, and CSOs, you are all urged to take interest in building the capacity of the committee members and staff to enhance the efficacy of the committee.
“Consider our five thematic areas of Mental Health, Trauma and Obstetrics Fistula, Oral Health and ENT, Blood Transfusion, Blood and Management, Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine and engage the committee for maximum impact,” he said.
In his remarks, the President, Association of Psychiatry in Nigeria Prof. Taiwo Obindo said that mental health has not been taken seriously enough in the country.
He said that many physical sicknesses have a mental health component saying that for the physical sickness to be effectively treated, the mental health aspect must be given appropriate attention.
Obindo said that somebody with diabetes or hypertension may not respond well to treatment if the mental health component is not treated.
He said that people in correctional centers should be given proper mental health attention as statistics showed that most mental health patients are those in incarceration.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Benin, Dr Imafidon Agbonile said that some of the people administering mental health treatment in some correctional centres are not experts.
He said some of the nurses are general nurses and not clinical psychologists saying that people do not know the difference between social psychology and clinical psychology.
He said that somebody who is a social or industrial psychologist is not trained to do clinical psychology therapy.
Agbonile said that rescued victims of kidnapping and other violent crimes are not given proper psychological attention.
He said that such victims, if not well handled could become very dangerous persons in the near future.
The doctor urged the parliament to ensure a comprehensive integrated mental health treatment for rescued saying that it is a huge category as they’re news of kidnapping almost daily .
NAN reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that a whopping 20 per cent of Nigerians, or around 40 million people, are affected by mental illness.
Some of Nigeria’s most prevalent mental illnesses, the WHO noted include depression and anxiety disorders.
The world health body also said that only about three per cent of the government’s budget on health goes to mental health. (NAN)
