The Chief Medical Director, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital in Borno state in northern Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Wakawa, says about 50 million Nigerians out of a population over 200 million people, have mental disorder.
Unveiling the Borno State Government Mental Health Strategic Implementation Plan in Maiduguri, the state capital, Wakawa blamed Nigeria’s high burden of mental disorders to insurgency, lack of awareness and poor health facilities to handle such cases.
Wakawa, who was represented by Dr. Ibrahim Mshelia, a Mental Health Consultant of the Hospital, said that studies had shown that 1 among 4 Nigerian was suffering from mental or psychosocial, traumatic health problems.
He explained that the hospital was providing healthcare services to about 30 million people in the Northeast and other regions in the country.
“At least 60 percent of the people attending primary healthcare have mental disorder.
“Effective treatment and management of mental health can be delivered in primary healthcare,” he said.
He commended the government for setting up mechanism aimed at making mental health affordable and accessible to all.
MM/GIK/APA