The new estimates from the World Health Organisation show that Nigeria is among 22 percent of countries in conflict areas around the world that correlates with increase in mental health conditions.
Nigeria’s conflict and humanitarian crisis has claimed the lives of 20,000 people, displaced 2.6 million people in 2016 and the violence is also worsening with the current severe drought. These factors are leading severe mental health issues and the reoccurrences of suicidal episodes recorded across states in the country.
The burden of mental disorders is high in Nigeria and mental health service is lacking in the country.
The existing Mental Health Policy document in Nigeria was formulated in 1991, the first to address mental health issues. It comprised advocacy, promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. There is considerable neglect. Since its formulation, no revision has taken place and no formal assessment of how much it has been implementation has taken place.
The report from the Lancet journal estimated that the prevalence of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia at any point in time was present among the conflict-affected populations assessed.
However, it was earlier warned by Abdulaziz Abdullahi, the permanent secretary of the ministry of health, at the mental health action committee and stakeholders workshop in Abuja that by 2020, it is projected that common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse-related disorders, will disable more people than complications arising from HIV/AIDS, heart disease, accidents, and wars combined.
Abdullahi also stated that three in every ten Nigerians suffer from one form of mental disorder and it is estimated that about 40 million Nigerians are believed to be suffering from mental disorders.
“In Nigeria, an estimated 20–30 per cent of our population are believed to suffer from mental disorders. This is a very significant number, considering that Nigeria has an estimated population of 200 million. Unfortunately, the attention given to mental health disorders in Nigeria is inadequate,” he exclaimed.
Meanwhile, the United Nations estimates more than 68·6 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced by violence and conflict, the highest number of people affected since World War 2. This increase in people affected by conflict coincides with a growing interest in mental health, as exemplified by the recently approved 10-year extension of the Mental Health Action Plan by 194 WHO member states.
Mental disorders, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), comprise a broad range of problems, with different symptoms. However, they are generally characterised by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others.
Examples are schizophrenia, depression, intellectual disabilities and disorders due to drug abuse which, in some cases, are treatable.
“The burden of mental disorders is high in conflict-affected populations. Given the large numbers of people in need and the humanitarian imperative to reduce suffering, there is an urgent need to implement scalable mental health interventions to address this burden,” says WHO
Psychiatrists have linked the rising prevalence of mental health disorders in Nigeria particularly to stigma and lack of public awareness. These experts say people with mental health disorders are either stigmatised, untreated ignored or poorly understood in the country, thereby causing an increase in the condition.
In general terms, several countries in Africa are better resourced with regard to mental health personnel than Nigeria. Countries such as South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya have more psychiatrists per 100,000 persons and also higher proportions of psychiatric beds. Many countries in Africa also give better official attention to mental health issues.
“There are fewer than 500 psychiatrists nationwide to take care of 200 million people. We even have fewer clinical psychologists and psychiatrist nurses. These are not enough to take care of the psychiatry need of the nation,” said Owoeye Olugbenga who is a consultant Psychologist and Clinical Psychologist at Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos.
“Our lawmakers should review the Mental Health Law in line with what obtains in other countries, especially developed nations. The bill is already with the Senate. They should make provision for the treatment of those who attempt suicide rather than get them arrested. As the law is being repealed, the government should also fund the psychiatry hospitals,” Olugbenga added.
WHO recommends that there is a need to make available sustainable mental health care in conflict-affected countries noting that this will require a focus on investment in leadership and governance for mental health; integrated and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings; strategies for promotion and prevention in mental health; and information systems, evidence, and research for mental health in conflict-affected countries.
“The well-established links between mental health, individual functioning, and country development underscore the imperative to prioritise mental health care in countries affected by conflict,” says the agency.
ANTHONIA OBOKOH
