Experts Recommend Mental Healthcare Be Integrated into Primary, Secondary Healthcare

Rebecca Ejifoma

Renowned psychiatrists including the Associate Professor of Psychiatry Department of Behavioural Medicine, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Prof. Ayodele Coker, has recommended that mental healthcare should be integrated into primary and secondary healthcare against mental illness in Nigeria.

They noted this in their remarks at a conference to mark this year’s World Mental Health Day with the theme: “Mental Health in an unequal world”,

According to these experts, although the pandemic increased more awareness on mental illness Nigeria has failed to invest in mental health, making it impossible for over 75 percent of Nigerians with mental disorders to have access to treatment.

In his presentation on ‘Mental Health in a Changing World: Mental Health Initiative’ Coker said over 75 per cent of Nigerians with mental disorders have no access to treatment.

While imploring Nigerians to balance all the dimensions of health to keep them happy, the associate professor harped on the need for physical, mental, spiritual health and social wellbeing to self-actualise and enjoy beauty and quality life.

Apart from improving our mental health, he prescribed, we must consciously seek meaning and purpose in life to make our lives joyful.” Coker lamented that mental illness affects the productivity and effectiveness of Nigerians as they adopt the learned helplessness model.

“COVID-19 pandemic will not go away soon; rates of mental illness associated with the pandemic may continue to rise. Policymakers should think of mental health surveillance and routine screening for common mental health disorders at the PHCs.

“They should urgently train, engage and involve other health workers (nurses, social workers, community health workers, religious leaders, mental health NGOs, and life coaches in evidence-based counselling methods to assist manage the expected increase in mental health conditions,” he warned.

The expert, however, advised that mental healthcare should be integrated into primary and secondary health care as soon as possible. While calling for more awareness, he disclosed that one in 10 persons suffer generalised anxiety like panic attacks, post-traumatic and stress disorder.

He cited: “Also, 350 million people suffer from depression, 46 million from bipolar, 20 million from schizophrenia, 970 million from drug addiction and one person takes to suicide every minute.”

While bemoaning the increased rate lf poverty and mental ill-health among Nigerians powered by the CEO of The Retreat, Dr Olufemi Oluwatayo, argued that COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented level of poverty around the world and the disparity between the rich and the poor has increased significantly.

He emphasised: “Inequalities and poverty have been associated with mental ill-health and impairments in psychological wellbeing for decades.”

And with the rate of mental disorders being generally higher in people of low socio-economic background, he added that COVID-19 has impacted the mental health of both the rich and poor, thus increasing the burden of mental ill-health in Nigeria and the world at large.

He also noted acknowledged that many countries are investing more in mental health. “Where is the investment by our government and private investors? How can we meet the challenges of the increasing mental health burden on our nations? Where are the clever ideas and solutions?”

In his view, a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Femi Olugbile, moaned the state of mental health services across the world. “In Nigeria, the picture is as bleak as ever.”

Olugbile hinted that most episodes of mental illness in Nigeria go undiscovered and untreated, leaving an army of ‘walking wounded’ in the population carrying out the rituals of everyday life.

He said the issue of inequality, as described in the theme of the World Mental Health Day, was imperative, adding that nations, individuals, resources are not equitably distributed.