- Says integration of mental health in primary health is present on paper but not in practice
Did you know?
- That about 10% of the world’s population will have a mental health challenge in their lifetime
- That about 20% of the world’s children and adolescents have mental disorders or problems
- That mental and substance use disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide.
These and more are some of the insights Dr. Itopa Yahya Garba, a mental health expert, and International Certified Addiction Professional shared at an event organised by the Citizens’ Rights Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, to commemorate the 2022 mental health day.
Other key points disclosed by Dr. Garba in his presentation titled “Appreciating mental health and psychological well-being, … and the lack of it!” are:
- About 800 000 people commit suicide every year
- War and disasters have a large impact on mental health and psychosocial well-being
- Mental disorders are important risk factors for other diseases, as well as unintentional and intentional injury
- Mental and substance use disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide
- About 800 000 people commit suicide every year
- War and disasters have a large impact on mental health and psychosocial well-being
- Mental disorders are important risk factors for other diseases, as well as unintentional and intentional injury
Calling for mental health to be made a global priority, Dr. Itopa Garba further revealed that:
- About 10% of the world population will have a mental health challenge in their lifetime
- This gives us over 700million i.e more than 3ce the population of Nigeria
- Imagine having all these persons be without care and the potential loss to the global economy
- Every naira spent in providing access to care will save multiples in money lost to reduced productivity
In summary, he noted that:
- Mental health is necessary to achieve wholistic health
- Evolution of mental health practice transformed from the era of magic and spiritual attributions to more scientific biologically plausible explanations
- Management of most mental health challenges multidisciplinary
- Psychological well-being is necessary to achieve individual and collective aspirations
- We all have a role to play in demystifying mental health by openly discussing and advocating for persons with such challenges
- Stigma needs to be reduced to the barest minimum to encourage health-seeking behaviour and recovery
He then concluded that:
- Mental health and psychological well-being are important for the optimal functioning of individuals within the family and the society
- Lack of optimal mental health affects all
- Stigma needs to be broken or reduced to the barest minimum to encourage appropriate health-seeking behaviour
- Integration of mental health in primary health is present on paper but not in practice
- Mental health for all is and must be a global priority
- If in doubt about your symptoms, do not labour in vain- consult a mental health specialist!
