Economic Hardship, Structural Barriers, Others Deepening Mental Health Crisis, Say Psychiatrists

Sunday Ehigiator

The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) has raised concerns over the state of the country’s mental health system, warning that widespread neglect, economic hardship, and structural barriers are worsening mental health conditions.
The association said this in a communiqué signed by its President, Prof. Taiwo Obindo, and Secretary-General, Dr. Olajide Abayomi, at the end of its 56th Annual General and Scientific Meeting in Benin City, themed ‘Nigeria Mental Health System: Gaps, Opportunities, and Prospects.’

The communiqué, made available to journalists yesterday, noted that the association lamented that mental health remains severely underprioritized despite its growing burden.
The psychiatrists highlighted lack of access to care, high treatment costs, absence of insurance coverage, rising substance abuse among youths, and limited awareness as pressing threats to public health.
Recent findings by the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that mental health conditions affect nearly 150 million people across Africa. Yet, care services remain severely under-resourced, fragmented, and largely inaccessible, especially in rural and underserved areas.

WHO warns that despite the widespread need, most African countries allocate less than $1 per person per year to mental health, resulting in a chronic shortage of trained professionals and limited infrastructure for prevention, treatment, and psychosocial support.
In the communique, the psychiatrists said: “After extensive deliberations during the conference, some fundamental issues related to the theme and subthemes were raised, namely, neglect of mental health in Nigeria, despite the high prevalence of mental illness; barriers that obstruct access to care, which are structural and cultural, resulting in treatment gaps that leave affected individuals untreated; high cost of services, absence of health insurance coverage, and financial support for treatment.
“Other issues are the negative impact on mental well-being due to the economic difficulty faced in the last few years; profoundly wide gaps within the mental health systems in Nigeria, which provide the ground for opportunities and prospects; the presence of serious youth mental health problems, representing a significant public health and economic crisis; lack of awareness and high cost of accessing multidisciplinary health care services in Nigeria.

“Also, there is a rise in the abuse of psychoactive substances, particularly among the youth; and the big picture in substance use prevention and treatment in Nigeria, which encompasses people, organisations, policies, and the environment.”
The association called on the government to take urgent action to address mental health gaps, emphasising the need for improved access to care, social support systems, and policies that prioritise mental well-being.