From Umar Ado Sokoto
On its effort to sensitize Nigerians on mental health and other relatef issues,the Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Kware in Sokoto state, has staged on road show toward achieving the sets goals.
Prof. Shehu Sale,the Medical Director of the Hospital, said activities was in commemoration of the 2023 World Mental Health Day with the theme ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’.
He said the efforts continues as part of progressive approach to create awareness on mental health, substance abuse and related issues as well as decriminalized mental health perspectives to facilitate more access.
According to him, the day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma as well as influence policy makers on proactive engagements.
“ We are looking beyond celebrating this day and look closely at the individuals around us with the eye of empathy.
” If ones suffer from a disease, there is no reason to be stigmatized or to be criminalized, mental health is an integral part of health system which is a complete state of physical, social and mental wellbeing.
“ Mental Health Act, the policy, the guidelines to be developed, all of those represent an approach that we are taking as a country. ” Sale said.
He explained that access, affordability and quality of mental health care should be an important direction that we should take in the context of our strategic blueprint for health.
Sale noted that FNPH Kware host regional Women and Children Drug Dependent Treatment Center catering for the population in northern states as first of it’s kind established by Federal Government in the country.
The center concentrates on women and children drugs depended victims coupled with stigma which always faced by patients on accessing such services even though exist in some hospitals.
According to him, the hospital also provided Integrated health services, providing treatment on forms of illnesses with standard laboratory services and other tests besides mental health services as effort to reduce stigma associated with such facilities.
In his address, the FNPH’s Head of Clinical Services, Dr Adebisi Adebayo, said mental health is universal human right and needed to be integrated into health services at all levels.
Adebayo stressed that mental health deserve more practical strategies to prevent and manage common mental health conditions, and how to empower you to report on mental health issues.
He said mental health disorders had increased and affected 15 per cent of working age adults globally, saying that at least one out of four persons had mental health challenges.
He added that mental health is beyond the traditional issues as substance abuse especially among the youth has become a scourge that should be focused on.
“It is really affecting our society, it is actually causing disruption to the lives of our youths and adolescents and as government we are looking into this angle and putting programmes and policies in place to tackle this major scourge”.he said.
The activity featured match pass, streets walk, dance, interactive and distribution of pamphlets by participants that comprised medical Doctors, Nurses, students and community groups.
The procession starts from UDUTH gate to Gawon Nama, government house round about, Ali Akilu road and Sultan Bello road among other streets.
