.Minister of Health,Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate
.SAM AWOYINFA, Abeokuta
Stakeholders in Mental health sector and legal circle have trenchantly asked the three tiers government -Federal, state and Local Government to implement the Mental Health Act passed in 2023 and signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
They said this during their 2nd Colloquium held both virtually and physically, spanning Canada, the United States of America, Europe and Africa, especially Nigeria among others.
They held the Colloquium under the aegis of Coalition of Mental Health and Law Interest Groups with the theme: ‘From Mental Health Legislation to Action: The Time is Now.’
One of the physical centres was the Conference Hall of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, Abeokuta,Ogun State which NoTM online attended.
Speakers during the event included Dr. Isiaq Adekunle Salako, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Prof.Taiwo James Obindo; President Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, Prof. A G.Ahmed, Dr. Paul Agboola Provost/Medical Director, Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta, Mr G.C Onunka, Caretaker Committee Chairman, Association of Psychiatric Nurses in Nigeria, Prof. Gboyega Abikoye; President, Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists, and Mr Ogedengbe Kayode, President; Association of Medical Social Workers of Nigeria among others.
The conveners noted that the Mental Health Act contains a provision which makes it mandatory for the establishment of Department of Mental Health in the Federal Ministry of Health, like there is the Department of Nutrition.
However, for almost two years now, the Act has been dormant with those required to implement it looking the other way, and feeling unconcerned.
The stakeholders said the Federal Government is also expected by the Act to make funding available for mental health in the country to take care of those with mental illness.
The Act equally clearly spells out the rights of the patients and offers also protection for the carers(health workers).
None implementation of the Act they noted is rubbing the country of the services of a unit of the most vibrant age groups, who are bogged down by mental illness, not necessarily psychiatric but “depression.”
They stated that this is definitely affecting the economy.
Conversely they further argued that neighbouring countries like Ghana, Republic of Benin and Togo have their governments funding mental health for their citizens.
The Provost/Medical Director Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta, Dr Paul Agboola in an interview with NoTM online at the event which in the Conference Hall of the health facility said, “The country is losing a lot by not implementing the Act, passed into law for almost two years now.
“The productive age group are plug down by mental illness, these are illnesses that if presented early they are treatable. So a sick workforce is a sick economy.
“Sickness is not all just physical, some are psychological… Depreciation is the leading cause of disability all over the world. Depreciation does not necessarily mean striping yourself naked in the public, but it is number one cause of disability in the whole world. When one is depressed such a person has no will to work, such is depressed and may be at the verge of suicide.
“When one is depressed it affects the well being…it presents with different conditions that you will think is physical but it is psychological. And such begin to do medical examinations, spending money, no knowing it is a small illness that is treatable. So the nation is losing much by not caring for people with mental illness ”
He added, “Ghanaian government and that Republic of Benin and Togo have a robust Mental Health Act and they provide medications for those with mental illness free of charge.”
Dr.Paul Agboola echoing the theme of the Colloquium explained that “The Time is now.”
He frowned at the bureaucrats at the Federal Ministry of Health blocking the implementation of the Act,noting that Colloquium serves as a wake up call to the Federal Government,State and Local Government, especially the powers that be, to activate the implementation of the Act immediately.
In taking the advocacy further, Dr. Paul Agboola said the Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta will be organising a training/workshop for its staff in which other stakeholders like the NDLEA, Lawyers, journalists, Policemen, and other security agencies among others will be invited in order to educate them about the Mental Health Act.
“We will be organising a training/workshop at Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta to educate our staff about the Mental Health Act. We will be inviting other stakeholders like the Social health workers,Lawyers, NDLEA, Police, Journalists, faith based organisations, traditional healers, among others. This is for all the stakeholders to know what the law is all about and what is expected of them under the law,” he said.
Prof.Taiwo James Obindo; President Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, shares the view of Dr. Agboola stating that the coalition “will not rest on their oars until we see to the implementation of the Mental Health Act.”
Dr.Agboola explaining further on the training noted that “It will enhance the knowledge of the Act by the health workers/stakeholders, ensure collaboration in promoting mental health and provide comprehensive overview of the Act, zeroing in on patients rights and carers protection. There will be robust interactive sessions, didactic drama session and mock tribunal hearing session among others.”
Stakeholders also talked about including Mental Health Act into the curriculum of medical students to make them aware of its relevance and importance and.carrying along other stakeholders in the health sector in the advocacy.
There seems to be hope for the implementation of the Act as the Minister of Health,Muhammad Ali Pate was said to be part of the virtual Colloquium.
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