Mental Health: Sokoto Psychiatric Hospital Conducts Road Show To Sensitize Nigerians
The Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Kware in Sokoto State, on Sunday conducted a road show to sensitize Nigerians on mental health and related issues.
The Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof. Shehu Sale, said the event was in commemoration of the 2023 World Mental Health Day, with the theme: ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’.
Sale said the effort was part of progressive approaches to create awareness on mental health, substance abuse and related issues as well as decriminalize mental health perspectives to facilitate more access.
He said that the day was an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma as well as to influence policy makers on proactive engagements.
“ We are looking beyond celebrating this day and look closely at the individuals around us with the eyes of empathy.
” If one suffers from a disease, there is no reason to be stigmatized or to be criminalized, mental health is an integral part of health system which is a complete state of physical, social and mental wellbeing.
“ Mental Health Act, the policy, the guidelines to be developed, all of those represent an approach that we are taking as a country. ” Sale said.
He urged that access, affordability and quality of mental health care should be an important direction that should be taken in the context of extant strategic blueprint for health.
Sale said that the hospital was hosting the Regional Women and Children Drug Dependent Treatment Centre, catering for the population in northern states, adding, “it’s the first of its kind established by Federal Government in the country.”
The centre concentrates on women and children drugs dependent victims, coupled with stigma always faced by patients on accessing such services although they exist in some hospitals.
According to him, the hospital also provides integrated health services, providing treatment on forms of illnesses with standard laboratory services and other tests besides mental health services in an effort to reduce stigma associated with such facilities.
In his address, the hospital’s Head of Clinical Services, Dr Adebisi Adebayo, said mental health was a universal human right and needed to be integrated into health services at all levels.
Adebayo stressed that mental health deserved more practical strategies to prevent and manage common mental health conditions, and how to empower journalists to diligently report on them.
He lamented that mental health disorders had increased, affecting 15 per cent of working age adults globally, saying that at least one out of four persons had mental health challenges.
Adebayo added that mental health was beyond the traditional issues as substance abuse especially among the youths had become a scourge that should be focused on.
He said, “It is really affecting our society, it is actually causing disruption to the lives of our youths and adolescents.
“As a government, we are looking into this angle and putting programmes and policies in place to tackle this major scourge.”
The activity featured a march past, streets walk, dance, interactives and distribution of pamphlets by the participants that comprised Medical Doctors, Nurses, students and community groups.
The procession started from the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto gate to Gawon Nama, Government House round about, Ali Akilu and Sultan Bello roads, among other major streets.