Sunday 25 September 2011

Depression no get respect o o! !! !!!

v  Depression no get respect; mama, papa and pikin,
v  Mental illness no dey look person for face
v  The greatest wealth is being mentally healthy.
v  If person wey dey sick, fit get beta, den person wey dey sick for head sef go fit well.
v  Sey you no say you dey claim right, me sef get my own right.
v  I sick for head, no mean say I no go fit recova o
  v  Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul therefore its our collective responsibility.
v  The body’s pain is so paper-thin and insignificant compared to that of the mind. –Peter Høeg, Smilla’s Sense of Snow
v  Pain of mind is worse than pain of body. –Syrus
v  I suppose that the human mind can only stand so much grief and anguish. After that the fuses blow. –Fynn, Mister God, This is Anna
v  Insanity in individuals is something rare, but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs, it is the rule. –Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
v  Stigma hurts, it bullies, isolates and shuts out the stigmatized. and stigmatizer
v  Lets stop the discriminations and do more of educating ourselves.
v  Stigma causes more harm than any disease will do to an individual



e-mail:        mhlagng@gmail.com
twitter:        https://twitter.com/#!/LagosMHTeam
You tube:   mhlagng@gmail.com
For more info call:
*Dr. D. Fasawe (Lagos State Ministry of Health)-08033228096
*Dr. Coker Rotimi
*Mr. Owoyemi Emmanuel (CEO/MD, Mental HealthFoundation)-08033236814
*Mr. Jude Watchman- 08036998263
*Mr. Richard A. Uwayzor (Cordinator- The Aart of Life Founation) 08053264041

Mental Health Care in Nigeria: The forgotten issue

Patients are often handcuffed to prevent violence to others and themselves.                          Photo: JULIAN EATON

                           .....By Julian Eaton and Terfa Tilley-Gyado

Another traffic jam in Lagos. A ‘madman’, tattered and unkempt, strolls casually to a couple in a black jeep. With little ceremony, he extends his arms and demands money. The couple look straight ahead and ignore his request, the driver moves the car forward slightly.

The madman follows them, this time pounding against the glass and threatening to break the window. Still they attempt to drive on, failing to acknowledge him. He retreats as the traffic begins to pick up and the couple heaves a huge sigh of relief.

Hundreds of cars pass and no reports are made neither to the police nor to any mental health authorities. Weeks later, the ‘madman’ is still there, still demanding money.

Stigma
Mental health problems remain a huge stigma in Nigeria with most people, even families of victims, choosing to ignore them in the hope that the problems will simply go away.

The problems, however, rarely vanish and whether an individual’s problem is severe or mild, if not treated, it can result in exclusion from society, loss of work, and breakdown in relationships. Families usually struggle to find help, but in Nigeria today, that search is often in vain.

The result of this is that many people are suffering unnecessarily, and in the worst cases are subjected to being chained, beaten and subjected to terrible abuse, sometimes at the hands of those who they have turned to for treatment.

In spite of highly effective and affordable treatments which have become more readily available, Nigerian citizens are still not fully benefitting.

Lazarus Nwajei, whose wife suffers from schizophrenia, says mental illnesses still attract shame to many families in Nigeria.

“My wife’s mental illness started after the birth of our fourth child in 1993,” he says. “At first I thought it was high fever but when it degenerated to the point of her making trouble with everybody in the neighbourhood and going nude at times.

“It has been hard for us, especially me, the husband, because of the costs, work and shame that I have to bear.”

Mercy Agbedion, complains that treatment is expensive for her brother, Leonard, because the drugs are still so scarce.

“My elder brother’s mental illness started about 10 years ago at Lokoja, when he was working there,” she says. “Since then it has not been easy for us his family members. We have learnt to live with the stigma of being related to a mad man but the fact is that his illness is eating deep into our purse.”

Mercy, like so many other relatives living with mental health, exhibits little faith in Nigeria’s mental health institutions and sees little point in taking her brother to a psychiatric ward.

“We refused admitting him in a psychiatric hospital because we believe he will be better with us than keeping him in the midst of other mentally derailed persons.”

Nigerians have not always been so faithless when it comes to dealing with mental illness.

A proud history
Prior to the colonial era, there were healers in all the various ethnic groups in Nigeria, whose expertise was the treatment of mental health problems.

The fathers of modern psychiatry in Nigeria trained in Britain in the 1950s and on their return, set about transforming the few colonial-era asylums in the country.

The first indigenous Nigerian psychiatric professional was a psychiatric nurse, Mr Abraham Ordia. He was the first Nigerian to hold a senior position in what was then called the Asylum at Yaba in 1952.

The first Nigerian doctor specialising in mental health as a Psychiatrist, was the late Professor Thomas Adeoye Lambo. He was trained in Britain, and returned to Nigeria in 1954, making an international name for himself in Aro Hospital, Abeokuta with his renowned Village System of care.

He realised that people who are taken away from their home communities to be treated actually find it harder to be independent when they go home than those who receive care in the community.

This era also saw a revolution in medical treatment for mental illnesses. It was only with the discovery of effective medication in the 1950s that the most severe symptoms could be effectively controlled.

Even people with very disturbed behaviour could recover and return to their communities.

Sadly, the system in Nigeria has not kept up with these early advances. Recent studies based in Nigeria have shown that only around 10% of people with severe mental illness receive the care they need.

The specialist hospitals in big cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Calabar and Sokoto are not sufficient to provide care that is affordable and accessible by the majority of the population that needs it.

Lack of human and financial resources
Nigeria only has about 130 specialist psychiatrists, less than one per million of the population compared to a typical figure in European countries of one per 10,000 people. There are more Nigerian psychiatrists in Britain alone than in Nigeria.

We are slightly better served with psychiatric nurses, who would form the basis of a primary health-care based service. Nigeria in fact trains significant numbers of these essential staff, though many are also lost to the brain drain.

In Nigeria less than 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is spent on health, and of this less than 1% is allocated to mental health.

The figure recommended by the WHO for mental health is 5%, and in many countries it is nearer 15% The low level of expenditure means that even if services were well organised, the majority of cases could not receive the care they need.

The most severe mental illnesses require long-term treatment. Although this treatment when given in the community is not expensive, the system of paying out-of-pocket means that many families find it hard to afford the care their loved ones need month after month.

It is unclear whether the National Health Insurance Scheme will adequately cover mental ill health.

Policy and legislation
In Africa overall, less than 50% of countries have a mental health policy. In Nigeria, the progressive 1991 primary health care policy states that mental health should be integrated at the primary care level.

In response to the international priority being given to mental health, there are now plans to update Nigeria’s legislation.

At present, the existing legislation dates back to British colonial laws of 1916, later adopted as the Lunacy Act in 1958. The legislative process has not responded effectively to the need for radical reform of the sector.

A 2003 bill for a mental health act passed a public hearing and was adopted by the Senate, but was not able to pass the House of Representatives and be adopted into law before the end of the last administration.

With support from the WHO, the Federal Ministry of Health has brought together a team of experts to make recommendations for laws that will safeguard the interests of people with mental health problems in the country, and a policy that will allow for services to reach those whose needs are currently not met.

If these plans are to be implemented, significantly higher levels of resources will need to be devoted to this neglected area.



e-mail:           mhlagng@gmail.com
You tube:   mhlagng@gmail.com
For more info call:
*Dr. D. Fasawe (Lagos State Ministry of Health)-08033228096
*Dr. Coker Rotimi
*Mr. Owoyemi Emmanuel (CEO/MD, Mental HealthFoundation)-08033236814
*Mr. Jude Watchman- 08036998263
*Mr. Richard A. Uwayzor (Cordinator- The Aart of Life Founation) 08053264041



Reader Comments (14)  …. as at  Friday, September 16, 2011


Posted by Demilade Omisore on Apr 05 2009
'Nigeria only has about 130 specialist psychiatrists, less than one per million of the population compared to a typical figure in European countries of one per 10,000 people.'... THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE STUFF. Im still stuck on that. However 'Hundreds of cars pass and no reports are made to the police nor to any mental health authorities. '...this statement has much more power in theory than in actual practice. What mental health authority has any widespread awareness? And do we actually believe that there would be a picking up of all the mentally instable men in Lagos?? It tough I agree to see these people on teh streets with no help but the issue then diverts to numerous issues...The government basically DOES NOT WANT TO OR FEEL THE NEED TO cater for these individuals..The idea being that we have 'much more important' things to deal with...Do I agree??...Well in Nigeria do you need to really...My point is this issue basicall underpins a larger one...We sincerely have problems with our health sector if only 5% of our budget is allocated to Health. May God help us all.

Posted by Taiwo on Jun 04 2009
I wonder if Nigeria has mental health Acts at all and even there is, the positive effect hasn't been glaring because you find mad person all over the place, on the street, under the bridge even at people's home. I think the people in our government should stop being short sighted and stop thinking of themselve for a while. They should think of the generation coming after them.

Posted by Jegede, Charles Obafemi on Jul 01 2009
The over concentration on western paradigms in psychiatric practice will not help matters. Before the advent of colonial healing system, the void was filled by some people. It is important that we begin to see the need to mainstream this category of mental healh providers in to the over all struggle for mental health in Nigeria. Though they are not receiving adequate suppost, their contributions are enomous.

Posted by esegbue friday azenubi on Aug 05 2009
iam apsychiatric nurse ifeel the only way to touch those life is by mental health advocay and care support group which is sadly lacking in nigeria iequally have an ideal on the way forword religious organisation and company can play arole

Posted by Steve Ogbedobor on Sep 30 2009
It is sad reading the article above and in this 21st Century, Nigerians still are not educated about mental illness and we some how believe that people could not function at all hence we decide to chain them. It is a shame the Health Department and Government cannot educate the mass as to what mental illness is all about. I hope the Nigerian Government knows that physical health problems also sometimes leads to mental health issues so I beg the Government and Nigerians to educate themselves as to causes of mental health issues in the country. Look at the above article, our ignorance made us to believe that mental health problems will disappear without treatment. We should think again. I will like to point out that mental illness will not just disappear; we as Nigerians and health professionals have to work hand in hand to make people aware because this is the only way that we can start to deal with the issue at hand. I really don’t know why we believe that people with mental health cannot function in society. I promise you that with good planning and treatment couple with education/health promotion people with mental illness can be helped to still hold good position in society and live their life. These days in the UK, mental health service users sits as one of the interviews panel and this does not stop them from asking reasonable questions from the interviewee. United we stand and divided we will continue to fall with regards to mental health issues. We have a lot of work to do so I do not expect us to get to the above position overnight.

Posted by Steve Ogbedobor on Sep 30 2009
It is sad reading the article above and in this 21st Century, Nigerians still are not educated about mental illness and we some how believe that people could not function at all hence we decide to chain them. It is a shame the Health Department and Government cannot educate the mass as to what mental illness is all about. I hope the Nigerian Government knows that physical health problems also sometimes leads to mental health issues so I beg the Government and Nigerians to educate themselves as to causes of mental health issues in the country. Look at the above article, our ignorance made us to believe that mental health problems will disappear without treatment. We should think again. I will like to point out that mental illness will not just disappear; we as Nigerians and health professionals have to work hand in hand to make people aware because this is the only way that we can start to deal with the issue at hand. I really don’t know why we believe that people with mental health cannot function in society. I promise you that with good planning and treatment couple with education/health promotion people with mental illness can be helped to still hold good position in society and live their life. These days in the UK, mental health service users sits as one of the interviews panel and this does not stop them from asking reasonable questions from the interviewee. United we stand and divided we will continue to fall with regards to mental health issues. We have a lot of work to do so I do not expect us to get to the above position overnight.
Posted by Wale on Oct 21 2009
I`m a medical student and I`ll be taking a seminar on mental health challenges of public health importance. Its been a hard getting good literature, I hope this article would help me out.
Posted by aluya on Oct 28 2009
I and a qualified mental health worker and work in mental health care in the UK. How can I help?

Posted by Chinenye Madu on Nov 08 2009
It is very sad. Reading this article has opened my eyes to see the great need of mental health facilities in Nigeria.Here in the Uk it is given top priority and patients are being friendly and warmly cared for.I live in the UK and currently training as a mental health nurse in a Uni.Please how can I help?

Posted by Amire Vincent Akindele on Dec 20 2009
short of words, if the madman in view have had rendered valuable or irrevocable damage to the couple's "precious jeep" i think the reality would have dawn on them. that aside mental health challenges should of course be given priority to and as a matter of urgency a national call to the house of senates and representatives for effective deliberation and implementation. I rest my case! COURT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by mr peter ogbaji on May 11 2010
I believe that a review of the mental health laws and government commitment to providing standard facilities and empowering the health care providers will make a deference.
Posted by Akpofure OvireTT on Jun 30 2010
Come on Nigeria and Africa in general.. In the 21st century we still have these ancient views and thoughts on our fellow human beings. Until there is 'significant' change towards the issue of mental health, the stigma, fear and regressed attitudes of the majority will always prevent forward movement

Posted by HILARY on Aug 10 2010
I guess that the issue of mental health is not the the issue of movement of "ghana must go bags or the usually exchange of blows that go on in the legislative houses that is the reason why the passage of the mental health laws has not been able to scale through.One thing is apparent and that is that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation and as ling as we keep neglecting mental health in our country we are still poor. After all WHO definition of health is all embracing, meaning that mental health of the citizens of this great nation must be given urgent,necessary and desired attention before we can talk of being healthy and wealthy nation.No body is immune from mental illness the illness is at the door. If we shall relay the ugly events that took place in the House of Representative one can never be wrong to say that the legislatures are all mentally sick and must be taken to the Psychiatric Hospitals for examination to determine the soundness of their minds. Their actions depict the level of mental disorders existing in our country today.May God send a messiah to rescue our country from total mental break down. HILARY.

Posted by owoeye isaiah dada on Mar 18 2011
Neglect of mental health by the Nigerian government is a reflection of the rate of stigmatization of mental illness in most Nigerian culture. Prof. Gureje, President Association of Psychiatrist in Nigeria, said, 90 percent of Nigerians with mental illness had no access to treatment. Only 10 percent of mentally Nigerians receive treatment. With the country still using 1916 British Lunacy Act,psychiatrists believe that mental health is the most neglected aspect of the health sector. Duro Onota,a CBM International (NGO)officer, disclosed that there was one psychiatric nurse to 25000 Nigerians. THIS IS A CHALLENGE!

Saturday 24 September 2011

Mental Health, Stigma And The Role Of Society

                                                     …PATRICK TWUMASI (020 9045931)

It was a relief, exciting and heartwarming to hear the Chief Psychiatrist, Dr Akwasi Osei embarked on an exercise dubbed “Operation 600 Patients Home” thereby relieving the Accra Psychiatric Hospital and State the burden of caring for cured mental patients and taking off the pressure being exerted on the national purse as well as the facility which was originally built for 800 inmates. Nonetheless, an age old idiosyncrasy which claims without proves that mental diseases are not curable gives way to modern day Scientific might. This traditional belief which is often strictly adhered to can be doing more harm to our society than one could imagine.

The failure of these cured mental Patients to join their families and society emanate from traditionally held thoughts, which they have been part of and perhaps never made any attempt to influence. There is this century rumor that mental diseases are transferable, hence both the cured Patient and their families are prevented from marrying and receiving marriage. This is based on the erroneous belief that all other members of such families are susceptible or are likely to be mentally insane too. Nevertheless, this weird antique tradition which lacks merit and will receive the marching orders in any civilised human community is astonishingly enjoying respite among even the elite in our part of the world. At the center of this traumatised thinking are the highly educated and mentored in our communities. Belief of this nature will always serve as draw back in our quest to achieve a society where science is the dominate force. Additionally the refusal to return to society is also on the bases of stigmatization. Generally Psychology sees stigma as inimical to self and social development. There are two levels of stigmatisation; direct stigma of those who have suffered a humiliating situation, and the indirect stigma of the dependence of the stigmatised. In this case, the cured Mental Patients and their immediate families will endure this evil. Husbands and wives of some of these cured Patients might have divorced them prior to being admitted to the Mental Hospital to prevent their families from been isolated by society.
Although the Accra Psychiatric Hospital has taken a stride worth mentioning, but the question still remains, was the proper restitutive measures done prior to the reintegration of these cured Patients by way of sensitizing the communities they belong? For the reason that, failure of society to play her role of offering a receptive environment to these cured Patients will be the surest and the rocket which would propel these relieved mental brothers and sisters back to the Mental facility in no time. The healing process is yet to start with the stein appeal to the social convey to get involved with these unfortunate relations who suffered a disease which is just like any other. Families and especially the members of the communities they belong to are expected to play their varied roles to empower these cured Patients to mount the stage of life once again to pick their cast social roles as social actors.
Again, society should not only share pleasantries and welcome cured Patients to social functions, but they should be placed at positions of trust where they can also contribute to decision making. The restituted cured Patients should be offered challenges that will bring out their real potential which will be of immense relevance to Ghana. The cured Patients should also avail themselves to enable society to come to terms with the real truth that mental diseases are curable and for that matter those who have suffered it can still recover and yet contribute meaningfully. Equally these cured Patients should also eschew the tendencies which culminated to their visit to the mental facility.
In spite of the issues raised, the nation also has a duty to discharge towards a mental free society by investing resources for research into the causes of these Psychological problems. Organizations are to be implored to hire the services of Psychologist to do away with industrial stress. Besides, it is a recognized recommendation for these specialists to be present in firms. How many organizations have Psychologist at post? When these specialists are employed they help do away with elements of anxiety, stress and ultimately depression, which Abnormal Psychology refers to as the common cold of a psychiatric problem. Calls have been made for the Legislature to expedite action on the passage into law, the Mental Health Bill. It is a call in the right direction, but the society is the main obstacle to improve on a mental free ambiance. Mental health education is the means by which society will embrace cured mental Patients as in the case of the 600 inmates of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital. It is one thing passing laws and another for those the legislation is meant for to recognise it. To this end, let the law makers be reminded that this is an issue that borders on century’s old held belief hence; to win; the advocates of the Mental Health Bill should consider education. For in every civilised human community the breath of life is discourse.
It is delightful to see the successful restitution of these country men and women in to society, but there is the need for authorities at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital not to presume the integration as the end of their role to achieve the quest to ride the facility of cured inmates. Community health authorities should follow up for a while to observe the reception these cured Patients are enjoying in their various communities.
Society should be up and smile the roses, for these cured fellows of ours need us to pick up the pieces from where a while ago they left off.

For more info call:
*Dr. D. Fasawe (Lagos State Ministry of Health)-08033228096
*Dr. Coker Rotimi
*Mr. Owoyemi Emmanuel (Mental HealthFoundation)-08033236814
*Mr. Jude Watchman- 08036998263

e-mail:       mhlagng@gmail.com
You tube:   mhlagng@gmail.com

2011 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

October 10th is the annual World Mental Health Day, and it is the largest campaign for mental health. This year theme is "The Great Push: Investing in Mental Health"
All right Reserved: Concept Note, 2011 World Mental Health Day


2011 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

2011 THEME:
 The Great Push:
       Investing in Mental Health
(Unity, Visibility, Rights, & Recovery)
 
Background

World Mental Health Day celebration is an international day set aside by the United Nation to jointly advocate on mental health issue, the day was separated from the original international health day just to focus more on mental health issue, since there is no Health without Mental Health.

World Mental Health Day was observed for the first time on the 10 of October 1992. It started as an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) by the then Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter with the aims of promoting mental health advocacy and educating the public on relevant issues.

The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) in conjunction with Mental Health Foundation-Nigeria (MHF-Nig.) continues to push its vision of a world in which mental health is a priority for all people. Even though mental health services are increasingly being recognized as critical, they still get short shrift. They do not get the resources and support they deserve at all levels nationwide.

By 2020, mental health problems are set to increase due to the pace of modern living. Also, More than 75% of people suffering from mental disorders in the developing world receive no treatment or care. Across Africa for example, 9 out of 10 people suffering from epilepsy go untreated, unable to access simple and inexpensive anticonvulsant drugs (WHO).

More recently, (World Federation for Mental Health) WFMH has redoubled efforts to achieve its vision through an initiative led by Dr. John Copeland that we are calling the Great Push for Mental Health. WFMH has formed a strategic alliance with the Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH). The Movement is best reflected in a series of articles in The Lancet. Essentially, these articles make the case that mental illnesses constitute a significant proportion of the global burden of disease and that prioritization and attention on mental health intervention will contribute significantly to both economic and social development. In 2008, the “Lancet GMHb 2007 Series ” made a call to governments and donors for “Action on Mental Health” drawing attention to the impact of mental illness on the economies of countries and the wellbeing of its citizens many millions of whom go untreated. As few governments appear to have responded they need encouragement by direct action. We need that action now!
The major themes of the Great Push are Unity, Visibility, Rights, and Recovery.
  • UNITY - Perceptions of disunity in the mental health world, probably exaggerated need to be dispelled. The first round of the WFMH Great Global Consensus has demonstrated substantial agreement on fundamental issues with over 530 replies from organisations and individuals demonstrating over 95% agreement on the 10 principles of the World Federation. The second round is in preparation and will address the inclusion of mental health as one of the Millennium Goals. The Consensus is designed to culminate in a WFMH/MGMH Consensus Summit" where participating organisations will be invited to fund one representative to the Summit at which the Consensus will form the basis of a WFMH /MGMH “Charter” to the United Nations and Governments stating clearly what mental health related and consumer/users/survivor organisations around the world require governments to do to improve mental health.
     
  • VISIBILITY- Mental illness and the mentally ill are invisible but stigma is everywhere. Our support for mental health must be made visible mostly to governments at all levels (Local/State/Federal). How can that be achieved but by public events. This is already happening in many places, particularly in India and in 2009 in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka, where nearly 5000 students, government and non-government sectors participated in a march two kilometres long. In Lagos-Nigeria (2010), Mental Health Foundation-Nigeria had Mental Health advocacy walk from a point (Lagos State Television) to Lagos State government office, situated at Lagos State Secretariat-Alausa, Ikeja, where nearly 1000 Private Schools Students, individuals, stakeholders, celebrities and non-government sectors participated in a march. We need to be visible. They have shown us the way.
     
  • RIGHTS - Appalling conditions are tolerated in many health centers, mental health hospitals and abusive treatments for mental illness are common. Governments with the support of stakeholders all over must not allowed these tolerate conditions to continue.
     
  • RECOVERY -: is an important concept but the term is used in many different ways. Mental Health Foundation-Nigeria in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Health and other Ministries all over will convene a conference, summit, and workshop, e.t.c. to sharpen the concept and define its principal features. Meanwhile thousands, perhaps millions receive no mental health care because of the absence of professionals to assess and diagnose their illnesses due to no available and verify policy on Mental Health, the first rate limiting step to recovery. With your full support (NGO’s, FBO’s, CSO’s, e.t.c.) now, we have made available a platform (Emotional Development Academy, Lagos-Nigeria) are working on projects using computer technology to empower individuals, students, youth workers, nurses and health assistants, aimed at improving the detection, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. We recognize that these are only the first steps to true recovery; nevertheless they are an essential starting point. Such methods are already being successfully piloted in India, Europe and Australia. They have potential to bring relief to the untreated. The campaign will promote any appropriate and culturally acceptable method for bringing relief to those suffering mental illness.
Some major activities that Mental Health Foundation-Nigeria is embarking on include:
  • The development of a grass-roots campaign so that mental health can have more visibility and priority in the public mind internationally;
  • Joining hands/resources with Lagos State Ministry of Health, and stakeholders’ in anticipation and formulation of mental health policy in Lagos State.
  • Participation in the United Nations process to achieve the Millennium Development Goals;
  • Developing strategic partners with international agencies and advocacy groups to promote the Great Push;
  • Promotion of the Great Push using both traditional and social media.

The World Health Organization has recently (September, 2010) released a report titled Mental Health and Development which makes the case for the integration of mental health in development efforts. Mental health is intimately tied with key areas of development such as education and human capacity building and productivity. The World Mental Health Day theme this year underlines the relationship of mental health with chronic physical illnesses. As we identify non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and respiratory diseases as the new scourge, the relationship to mental health is both intimate and unavoidable. The bottom line is that There is No Development without Health and No Health without Mental Health....
2011 WMH-Day Program Plan
Creating of awareness:
The strategies below shall be employed:
1) Production and mounting of Bill boards.
2) Printing and sharing of mental health hand bills, fliers, and information Leaflets/booklets.
3) TV shows, radio, phone in programmes, and news paper advertorial and write-ups.
Time Frame: August-October, 2011.

October 7th, 2011
Time: 9am-1pm
Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mental Health Foundation with all the stakeholders shall be visiting some motor parks as a SUPPORT Group for counseling, and mental health awarenes.

October 10th, 2011
Proposed Route: LTV Agidingbi, to LASG Secretariat Alausa Ikeja
Time: 9am-11am.
Description of Activity: Mental Health Advocacy Walk with notable celebrities, stakeholders and the public using informative placards on mental health issues and statistics, from LTV-Lagos State to The Governor office, Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa-Lagos State.


October 11th, 2011
Time: 10am-12noon
Proposed Venue: Press Centre, Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa-Ikeja.
Description of Activity: A day devoted for World Conference and Press/Media releases and
Formal and official launching of Lagos State Mental Health Policy


MEDIA APPEARANCE ON MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMME
v October 8th (12:30 pm) @ Health Matters- CHANNELS
v October 9th (08:00 am) @ Sunday Express- LTV
v October 10th (08:00 am) @ This Morning- TVC
v October 11th (01:00 pm) @ Day Time Talk- LTV
v October 13th  @ Health Issues- Star FM

Rap Up:
At the end of the whole presentation and launching, there will be OPEN SESSION and NETWORKING.
GREAT PUSH: Way Forward and Rap Up:  
At the end of the whole workshop and advocacy walk, we would examine thoroughly all the issues raised during the days of those events, placing special attention here again on the opportunities for mental health and other related health organization and increased modalities for engaging and creating lasting change that our people deserves.


Target Group:
Health Experts/Professionals, Religious Leaders, Youth Workers, NGO’s, Civil Society Organizations, Faith Base Organization, Corporate & Brand Organizations, Social Workers, Force/Police/Paramilitary/Soldier, Security Personnel, Civil Servants, Counselors, Public and Government Sector, Academic Institutions, Students (All Levels), General Populace and Press/Media.


Program Expected Outcomes 
As we put this year 2011 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH Day event into place, we intend:
1.     To create More Awareness on mental health issues in Lagos State.
2.     To educate Lagosians that mental illness is a clear and present treat to women, children and the general populace in Lagos State.
3.     To identify the relevance of mental health in the attainment of the millennium development goals.
4.     To create a broader orientation on problems and challenges associated with the stigma of the vulnerable members of our society.
5.     To direct the attention of the Lagos State government towards tackling some of the crucial issues concerning women and children in the area of silent depressive disorders, poverty, education, nutrition, healthcare, Hiv/Aids, human trafficking, child labour, violence against women etc.
6.     To encourage the participation of the general public towards achieving a mentally healthy State.
7.     To motivate and connect with potential support groups and relative stakeholders.
8.     To urge the State government to dedicate special funding for mental health and give priority to women and children mental health in their funding and policy decisions.
9.     To recognize the impressive contribution of corporate bodies and individuals to mental health development in Lagos State.
10.    Recommendations on how to improve mental health care and wellbeing.
Lagos State Mental Health Team (mhlagng@gmail.com )
e-mail:       mhlagng@gmail.com
You tube:   mhlagng@gmail.com
For more info call:
*Dr. D. Fasawe (Lagos State Ministry of Health)-08033228096
*Dr. Coker Rotimi
*Mr. Owoyemi Emmanuel (CEO/MD, Mental HealthFoundation)-08033236814
*Mr. Jude Watchman- (Ignite Africa) 08036998263
*Mr. Richard A. Uwayzor (Cordinator- The Aart of Life Foundation) 08053264041

Friday 23 September 2011

Mental health takes center stage in Lagos

                                                                                             .........By Sola Ogundipe

MANAGEMENT of common mental illnesses recently came into limelight in Lagos and environs as part of ongoing efforts towards ensuring  access to affordable and effective mental care services at the grassroots, as healtcare personnel drawn from all LGAs  in Lagos State recently benefitted from a skills-building training workshop on the subject matter.

The event which was a collaborative effort between the Department of Psychiatry, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Primary Healthcare Unit, College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL)  and Awele Foundation, was designed to improve  awareness about recognition and management of mental ill health and substance abuse among relevant personnel at the Primary Healthcare level about within the Lagos community.
Among beneficiaries of the capacity building workshop were community health officers, apex nurses, pharmacists from all the LGAs in the State who were expected to  go back and create awareness in their places and work about setting up a  referral system between the community, the health facility and the experts so that people with problem of substance abuse or mental ill health can be easily identified and sent to the right place.

In a statement during the event, Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Dr. Femi Olugbile stated that the  issue about mental health is not about having the personnel, but about training of personnel to have  knowledge. If we can give them the knowledge and change their attitudes they can actually recognise and treat cases.

“We are starting from the premise that 90 percent of persons with mental illness do not get any care at all and this is unacceptable because it is a major debilitating factor on our society as a whole in every aspect including commerce.  We need a practical way of delivering mental healthcare at the grassroots level.”
On challenges facing mental healthcare in the country, Olugbile said most of the care centres reside in little pockets in the urban areas.

“There is a disconnet in distance terms. The reason why there are so many psychotic people wandering the streets in the urban centres is that they cannot get care where they live so they are dislocated. If care was available it is unlikely that people would become chronically psychotic and wander around.
He argued that by seeking to change attitudes and impart knowledge of people working in all the PHCs of Lagos, “we want that to be a model that other parts of the country can copy, and also to be a foundation for effective mental healthcare delivery in Lagos State.” He said the specialist centres will still have a supervisory role in terms of providing contacts, advice and occasional presence at the PHCs, but by empowering people at the centres we are opening up all the possibilities and opening access to those who otherwise would not have had access and creating the foundation of a comprehensive healthcare system.
“People who need ultimately to be referred to the specialists will still be referred back where they came from because the best place to treat people is within their environment. This is what has been missing from the Nigerian scenario so far and this is what we have been seeking to generate.”

In her contribution, Dr. Olayinka Abosede, Chairman Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, said the event would go a long way in helping to facilitate the easy identification of  people with problems of substance abuse or mental ill health so that they can be sent to the right place for appropriate treatment.
Abosede who is also a Consultant at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital  (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos,  and an  Associate Professor at the at College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL stated that when the experts in mental illness have finished with the acute phase of managing the patient, they would have a place to refer tsuch patients to. “We have a situation where our health workers will work with the community members to have support groups for such persons so that they can live a normal life, and prevent a relapse.

We want to build capacity at the PHC so that even before complications set in, they would have been adequately tackled.  A lot of it has to do with counseling and refererence if the person needs treatment. There is also need to disabuse our minds about stigma on mental health. We are bringing the traditional medicine Board on board because we know many people go to the traditionalists and  we want them to really understand what should be called mental ill health sand to realise the limitations they may have in managing the patients so that they are referred to the appropriate quarters.

Also speaking, Dr. Ajibike Salako Akande, Founder and Executive Director Awele Foundations Lagos said the output of the brain behaviour-wise is the same no matter what causes  the effect whether organic or chemical in nature and it may not necessariliy be mental illness or drug abuse.

She added that Awele Foundation is one of the NGOs at the community level that is assisting with the programme for PHC interventionin mental health care. “We are focused on drug abuse management assistance. We are just adding this to the mental health issue, we are essentially focused on substance abuse. People do not understand it yet and only just recently, the UN warned that we cannot put a time limit on susbtance abuse recovery.

“Unlike other illnesses in which there is a time factor,  for drug abuse there is no such constraint  because there can be a replase at any time because of the way the brain might have been affected. What we are told to do is to leave the brain alone to repair itself while we are assisting the patient and that is why we are focusing on substance abuse, but we are having to add mental millness.”

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For more info call:
*Dr. D. Fasawe (Lagos State Ministry of Health)-08033228096
*Dr. Coker Rotimi
*Mr. Owoyemi Emmanuel (Mental HealthFoundation)-08033236814
*Mr. Jude Watchman- 08036998263
*Mr. Richard A. Uwayzor (Cordinator- The Aart of Life Founation) 08053264041