Health

How Poverty, Hunger Affect Mental Health

By Web News 312

By Olaolu Fawole

Mental health remains one of Africa’s most overlooked health crises, worsen by poverty and hunger.

While Millions suffer in silence due to stigma, inadequate services, and socio-economic hardships, urgent action is needed to integrate mental health into broader development efforts.

The Burden of Mental Illness

Africa has the lowest mental health workforce globally, with some countries having fewer than 10 psychiatrists for millions of people.

Conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD remain untreated, affecting individuals’ well-being and economic productivity.

Link Between Poverty, Hunger, and Mental Health

Poverty creates chronic stress, insecurity, and limited access to healthcare, increasing vulnerability to mental disorders.

At the long run, hunger and malnutrition worsen mental health conditions, particularly among children, leading to developmental and cognitive issues.

Stigma and Cultural Barriers

Many African societies associate mental illness with weakness or spiritual causes, discouraging people from seeking help. This cultural stigma, coupled with limited mental health resources, leaves many without support.

Addressing Mental Health

There should be more funding, professionals, and infrastructure are needed to make mental healthcare accessible.

Also, tackling root causes through economic development, social programmes, and food security initiatives can reduce mental health stressors. Public campaigns, community programmes, and education can encourage early intervention and support.

Addressing mental health alongside poverty and hunger is crucial for Africa’s development, to this end, governments, Non Governmental Organisations, and other stakeholders must collaborate to ensure mental well-being is a priority, creating a healthier and more resilient society.

Health

Asido Foundation Holds 4th Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay

By Web News 463

By Fasilat Lawal

For better understanding of mental health among Nigerians, there is a need for more advocacy and sensitization.

A Professor of Medicine, Babatunde Salako made the assertion to commemorate the 4th Jemila Abubakar Memorial Essay, JAME and Award Ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

Professor Salako who was the Chairman on the occasion, said mental health is wealth, and described mental disorder as a psychological disease which could be a result of accumulated stress in the body.

“Mental health has to do with how you manage stress, your emotion, your response to situation. They see only people who roam the streets as people who have mental health issues but there are millions of people who don’t roam the streets, but whose response to events of life sometimes put them on the edge”

Professor Salako, who is also the Director General of the Nigeria Medical Institute, Yaba , Lagos state, urged Nigerians to ensure they always check on the wellbeing of their loved ones particularly during this hardship period, calling on the youths to emulate the exemplary life of Late Jemila Abubakar having spent years to impact positively on the society.

In a keynote address, a former lawmaker, who represented Afijio State Constituency, Mr Seyi Adisa maintained that solution to mental health issues should be a collective effort, lauded the convener Of Asido Foundation for the recognition and award of Excellence saying, the gesture would spur the winners of the essay competition to be Advocates of Mental Health.

“I think there is a need for more advocacy, more awareness about mental health especially at workplaces, ignorance has played a big part, there is a lot of work in our hands to direct how people see mental health”.

The Convener of a Non-Governmental Organization, Asido Foundation, who is also a Lecturer at the Department Of Psychiatry, University of Ibadan, Dr Jibril AbdulMalik explained that the aim of the event was to celebrate, remember and to appreciate the Late Jemila Abubakar, who was the pioneer program manager of the Foundation for her selfish service to humanity and a role model to younger generation.

“Late Jemila Abubakar took the role for free as a volunteer, part of the reason we feel a sense of obligation to her memory is because in her short life, she achieved so much such a legacy and we want to hold her up as a model for the younger generation. It is not about how long in life it is about the impact“ he added.

The Event featured presentation of Awards to the Top 15 2023 JAME Awardees and Investiture Ceremony Awards Of Patrons to some dignitaries.

Health

Mental Health: Experts Warn against Substance Abuse

By Web News 664

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate 2022 Mental Health Day, experts in mental health care want Nigerians to desist from stigmatizing mental patients.


The experts stated this while speaking with Radio Nigeria on increasing cases of mental health challenges among Nigerian youths.

Speaking on the day, two clinical psychologists at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Dr Aina Oyekanmi and Dr Olanrewaju Shodehinde said mental health was an integral part of human health, noting that mental health crises could occur in humans at any stage of life.

While highlighting some of the causes of mental health challenges, the psychiatrists said poverty, extreme stress, drug abuse, historical background, denial and ignorance were some of the predisposing factors that could influence mental illness in people.

Dr Oyekanmi and Dr Shodehinde who emphasized the need for government to adequately fund mental health institutions and improve the economy also advocated constant awareness of the dangers associated with substance abuse.

Speaking on the significance of the day, a Psychiatrist at the University College Hospital UCH, Ibadan, Dr Esan Oluyomi advised Nigerians who were mentally balanced to eschew activities that could trigger mental crises including substance abuse.

Dr Oluyomi urged people with mental disorders to seek medical intervention to restore their mental health.

The United Nations states that nearly one billion people globally have some form of mental disorder.

The theme for 2022 World Mental Health Day is “make mental health for all a global priority”

Rotimi Famakin 

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Health

Researchers Hold out Hope for Mental Health Patients

By Web News 680

Hope of recovery from mental health challenges is gradually coming the way of patients suffering from psycho social problems as a team of mental health researchers have further synergized to combat the menace through Support Comprehensive Care and Empowerment, otherwise known as SUCCEED Africa.

The programme which came to the fore through a zoom conference was held at the Paul Hendrich Lecture Theatre, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan. 

The joint approach, which was the initiative of the Department of Psychiatry and alumni of the department, is designed to involve religious bodies, psycho social patients, and co researchers across the continent and Oyo State.

In their separate goodwill messages, child and adolescent mental health researchers from Ghana, association of mental health professionals from East Africa and allied professionals from Malawi, Sierra Leone and Nigeria commended the team of researchers for the initiative and pledged to support the move so as to see the light of the day.

In her remark the Provost College of Medicine, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Professor Olayinka Omigbodun, said the percentage of patients suffering mental health was alarming in Nigeria, hence the need to adopt multidimensional approach to overcome the societal ills.

Professor Omigbodun, who said the condition of mental patients is further aggravated through stigmatization and alienation, noted that the team of researchers would adopt inclusive mechanism for psycho social patient so as to enable the researchers generate data.

The provost added that the patients would not only be given treatment but also empowered so as to contribute to development of the society.

In an interview, the co-investigator, SUCCEED Africa, Dr Olubukola Omobowale, urged members of the public and relations of mental ill patients to have a change of attitude toward mental patients in the society.

Dr Omobowale who said SUCCEED Africa is a six years programme noted that mental patient would be reduced in Nigeria and sub sahara through the project.  

Rotimi Famakin  

Foreign

Boulder Shooting: Mental Health Hearing Granted for Suspect

By Web News 848

The man suspected of shooting dead 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, has made his first appearance in court.

The presiding judge said Ahmad al-Aliwi Al Issa, 21, would remain held without bail as he granted a mental health hearing requested by a defence lawyer.

The Syrian-born US citizen is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murders. He did not enter a plea in court.

The victims of the attack on 22 March were aged between 20 and 65.

The attack ended when police arrested the lone suspect after exchanging gunfire. The police have not confirmed a motive.

The grocery store is located in a busy shopping plaza in Boulder, a north-central Colorado city about 30 miles (50km) away from the state capital of Denver.

It comes less than a week after a mass shooting that left eight dead, including six Asian women, at three spas in Atlanta.

Following the shooting, US President Joe Biden renewed his call for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines as well as an end to loopholes in background checks.

BBC

Health

Mental Health: Medical Director Advocates Increased Budgetary Allocation

By Web News 621

The Provost and Medical Director, Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, Abeokuta, Dr. Akanni Agboola wants the Federal Government to increase the budgetary allocation for the health sector towards improving the mental health services in the country.

Dr Agboola made the call in a message to commemorate the 2020 World Mental Health Day with the theme; “Mental Health for All: Greater Investment – Greater Access”

The Provost, who decried the perceived poor attention to medical health issues, said there was the need for government to invest more in mental health care in line with the theme of this year’s celebration.

He noted that unless the country make serious commitments to scale up investment in mental health, social and economic consequences would be far reaching. 

Dr Agboola encouraged governments at all levels and private investors to investment in mental health services to raise awareness among children, adolescents, young, adult and elderly.

Olusegun Folarin