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.

Daud Adeshola     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Agor Market     Revenue Court     Kassim Babamale     Wale Oladepo     Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies     KwaraLearn     Funke Adedoyin     Government House     Folaranmi Aro     KWSUED     Umar Danladi Shero     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Omoniyi M. Ayinla     Aliyu U. Tilde     Bond     IFK     Chief Imam Of Offa     Mubarak Oladosu     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     Abdulfatai Baakini     Kwara Apc     Toyin Olayinka Tejidini     Salake     Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Benin Republic     Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP)     Adebayo Mohammed Kamaldeen     Kwarareports     John Obuh     Offa Descendants Union     Press Release     Awili Pedro     Kola Olota     Jare Olatundun     NIPR     Oyedepo     Ilofa     Amada Jidda     Abdulrazaq Aiyelabegan     PharmAccess Foundation     Saidu Kawu     Olaoye B. Felix     Belgore     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     Mukhtar Shagaya     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     Usman Rifun     Femi Oladiji     Ahmad Uthman     Lola Ashiru     Nurudeen Mohammed     Ahmed \'Lateef     Bolaji Gambari     Esuwoye     Alagbado     Ola Falade     Kolade Solagberu     Egbewole     Olabode Towoju     Isiaka Danmeromu     Bola Iyabo Ibiyeye Adisa     Ahmed     Obasanjo     Oluronke Adeyemi     Doyin Awoyale     Adanla-Irese     Kwara North     Bilikis Oladimeji     Vasolar Consultoria     Kolawole Akande     Al-Ilory     Read With Me     Kayode Zubair     Maimunat Oloriegbe    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Femi Agbaje     Abdulganiyu Salahudeen     GGDSS Pakata     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Yusuf Mubarak     Rotimi Atere     Bursary     Chikanda     Lukman Adeloyin     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Ahmed Bayero     Kwara State Fire Service     Asa     Gbajabiamila     Adamu Atta     Mustapha Akanbi     Kwara Poly     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Lawal Olohungbebe     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Ubandawaki     Tanke Flyover Bridge     AGILE Programme     Adama Isa     Diagnostic Centre     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport     Galadiman Ngeri     Florence Saraki     Al-Ilory     Okeose Christian Cementary     Samuel Adedoyin     Atunwa     Toyosi Thomas     Ajibola Saliu Ajia     Jumoke Gafar     Mope Dasuki Belgore     Oba Mogaji Abdulkadir     Matthew Okedare     Turaki Of Ilorin     Sulyman Tejidini     General Hospital     Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab     Bamidele Aluko     Akeem Lawal     James Ayeni     Ndakene     S.O. Opowoye     Earlyon Technologies     Garuba Alikinla Shittu     Oyawoye     Abdulmutalib Shittu     Sa\'adu Gambari     JAMB     Timothy Akangbe     Yemi Sanni     Michael Nzwekwe     Photo News     Oyedepo     Niguel Gallando Marcias     Aliyu Adebayo     Suleiman Mora Omar     Borgu     Abubakar Usman Jos     Alabi Lawal     Lawal Jimoh     Raimi Iyanda     Folorunsho Erubu     Olabimpe Olani     Olomu Of Omu-Aran     Toyin Saraki     Nigerian Army     Kulende     New Naira Notes     Mohammed Yisa     Old Oyo     Aso Ofi     Laboratory-to-Product