Nigeria's Mental Health Crisis: Fewer than 200 Psychiatrists for 200 Million People

Date: 2024-11-29

The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) has revealed that the country's mental health needs are being attended to by fewer than 200 psychiatrists, despite a population of over 200 million people, as reported by Leadership.

The President of APN, Professor Taiwo Obindo, made this disclosure at the 55th Annual General Conference and Scientific Meeting of the association, which was held in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The conference, themed "Prioritizing Mental Health Needs of Nigeria in a Depressed Economy: An Urgent Call For Integrated, Comprehensive And Sustainable Interventions," highlighted the dire state of mental health care in Nigeria. Professor Obindo attributed the shortage of mental health professionals to the "japa syndrome," which has led to a significant depletion of the mental health workforce in the country.

Furthermore, Professor Obindo noted that mental health workers in Nigeria are overworked and underpaid, and that the situation must be addressed urgently. He also lamented that mental health has not received the necessary attention from the government, citing the example of Canada, which has a functional Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.

“Mental health in Nigeria is still a programme under the Department of Public Health in the Federal Ministry of Health. One other area needing attention is the budgetary allocation to health, and by extension, the mental health, which is less than six percent.

“This falls short of the Abuja Declaration of 2001, where health allocation was to be pegged at a minimum of 15 percent of every country's annual budget,” he said.

He called for the implementation of the Mental Health Act of 2021, which replaced the Lunacy Act of 1958.

In his lecture, Prof. Owoidoho Udofia, of the University of Calabar, said: “Study showed 12 percent of Nigerians have mental and behavioural disorder”.

“Mental illness makes up less than 30 percent of the burden in teaching hospitals in Nigeria. The illness is not only restricted to schizophrenia and psychosis. Substance use is high and there is need to improve diagnosis.

“There is also need to improve on the rates, as there is poor identification and research,” he said.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board     Saeedat Aliyu     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Ayo Opadokun     Oni Adebayo     Kisira     TESCOM     MATTA Girls Foundation     VADA     Aliyu Alhassan     Kwara North     Ibrahim Mashood     Ibraheem Abdullateef     Plat Technologies     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Dan Masanin     Saka Onimago     Ganiyu Abolarin     Apado     Kehinde Baale     Offa     Sheikh Ariyibi     Baaziki Sulaiman     Yaman     Emir Of Yashikira     Kassim Babamale     Saka Keji     SAPZ Project     Shonga     General Hospital     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi     Sardauna Of Ilorin     Olohungbebe     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Law School Scholarship     A.E. Afolabi     Matthew Okedare     Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed     Jimoh Bashir     Mufutau Olatinwo     School Of Nursing     Isin     Mashood Dauda     JAAC     Bukola Ajikobi     Eleja     Adesina Simon Sodiya     Sarkin Malamai     CACOVID     Olabode George Towoju     Issa Memunat Moyosore     Yekeen Alabi     Ibrahim Bio     ANCOPPS     Otunba Taiwo Joseph     Tunji Folami     Abikan     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     National Broadcasting Commission     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Sabi     Sobi Specialist Hospital     Flights To Ilorin     Yemi Osinbajo     Oyun     IESA     Oba Sulaiman Asude     Firdaos Amasa     National Union Of Road Transport Workers     Micheal Imoudu     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Garba Ayodele Wahab     Tafida     Adamu Attah     Rabiu Kwankwaso     Shagari     Kwara State University Of Education    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Tsaragi     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Agor     Saliu Mustapha     Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Ajidagba     Oba Of Jebba     Hijaab     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Kazeem Gbolagade     Kumbi Titilope     Saad Omo\'ya     Alore     Balogun-Ojomu     Abdulrahman Iliasu     Omar Gambari     Radio Kwara     Oye Tinuoye     Gwanara     Alabere     Bolaji Aladie     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     Obuh     Boko Haram     Bola Olukoju     Yomi Adeboye     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Opobiyi     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Kawu     Isiaka Yusuf     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Wasiu Odewale     Bashirat Bola Bello     Fawenu     Alliance For Democracy     Ilota     SWAN     Towoju     Mohammed Ibrahim     Iliasu     James Kolo     Olatinwo     Maigida     Adedeji Onimago     Azeez Salawu     Usman Alkali Baba     Sam Onile     Pategi     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Tosin Saraki     Jebba     Ilorin Like-Minds     Atiku Abubakar     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Simeon Sule Ajibola     Noah Yusuf     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     CLAY POT     Bayo Onimago     Binta Abubakar Mora     Demola Banu     Sobi Hill     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Magaji Are     Lawyers Unite Against Corruption     Isau     Garment Factory     Mujtabah Bature     Muftau Akanbi Oke     Michael Nzwekwe     Solomon Edojah     Baboko Primary School     Mohammed Lawal     Senate Presidency     Baruten