Boko Haram: 50% of people in N’East suffering mental health illness – APN
The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) has said about 50 per cent of people living in the northeast region are suffering mental health illness due to prolonged insurgency and economic hardships currently bedeviling the country. This was contained in a communique read by APN President, Prof. Taiwo James Obindo during the association’s 54th Annual […]
North Eastern States
The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) has said about 50 per cent of people living in the northeast region are suffering mental health illness due to prolonged insurgency and economic hardships currently bedeviling the country.
This was contained in a communique read by APN President, Prof. Taiwo James Obindo during the association’s 54th Annual General Meeting with the theme, “National Mental Health Reform; Prospect and Strategy of Implementation of the National Mental health Act 202” held in Maiduguri on Friday.
Prof. Taiwo noted that many of the populace required basic mental health services that could not be afforded due to their economic status.
He also decried the alarming rate of mental illness due multi-dimensional factors including kidnapping, unemployment, underemployment, loss of loved ones, insecurity and economic hardships in the country.
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“The high sycophant substances have increased mental health numbers, the factors we have now can make someone have a mental health illness. I think it is important to appreciate those who offer psycho-social support intervention to people who are being displaced by the insurgency.
“It is about 25 per cent as of 2006 but with insurgency, kidnapping and all forms of insecurity, the figure has increased but when we look at the northeast we should be talking of 50 per cent of the populace.
“When we look at the figure we can be sure of more than a decade of insurgency it could be up to 50 per cent.”
He said during the pre-conference medical outreach by APN, over 500 patients were attended in the host community in Maiduguri.
“We treated a total of 500 patients with all different kinds of illness; If we had more times you can be sure over 5,000 would be reached; we were able to see quite a set of patients,” Prof Taiwo said.
He urged governments to provide adequate training for medical students, residents, doctors and other specialists.
The Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Maiduguri, Dr Ibrahim Abdu Wakawa, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the APN for making this year’s conference a success.