Afrigather President, Affiliation of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, Prof. Taiwo Obindo, says that greater than 60 million Nigerians are affected by psychological sicknesses.
Obindo, the Chairman, College of Psychiatry, West African Faculty of Physicians, Nigeria Chapter, stated this in an interview with the Information Company of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
“Psychological healthcare is in a sorry state on condition that we’ve greater than 60 million Nigerians affected by varied psychological sicknesses and the truth that solely about 10 per cent of them had been capable of entry acceptable care.
“We’re left with greater than 90 per cent who’re unable to entry care and this group is known as the remedy hole for psychological sicknesses,” Obindo stated.
He stated the hole was on account of varied components just like the information hole through which individuals don’t have acceptable details about the causes and remedy for psychological sicknesses.
Obindo stated some components hindering the administration of psychological sickness in Nigeria included myths and conventional beliefs; insufficient psychological well being services and variety of psychological well being professionals.
In keeping with him, the few obtainable psychological well being services had been positioned within the metropolis centres.
“Understanding that 60 per cent of Nigerians dwell within the rural areas, they don’t have entry to acceptable care and need to journey lengthy distances to entry services,” Obindo stated.
He additionally stated that the variety of psychological well being practitioners was low because it fell under the ratio advisable by the World Well being Group.
In keeping with him, the few that had been skilled had been usually keen to go away the nation.
“The setting through which we follow, the safety state of affairs and the remuneration that individuals got within the nation are inclined to push them out.
“After which in fact, the pull issue from the developed international locations the place they have an inclination to poach on the already skilled medical practitioners within the nation, significantly the psychiatrists,” he stated.
Obindo stated that the price of hiring practitioners in low medium revenue international locations was low; so ”it was simpler for developed international locations to poach the already made merchandise reasonably than coaching such skilled regionally.”
He stated there was the necessity for Nigeria to implement its Psychological Well being Coverage on the follow of psychiatry.
Obindo added that though the doc was final reviewed in 2013, it was not being carried out.
He stated one main element of the coverage was the mixing of psychological well being into major healthcare, which was but to be achieved after 9 years.
The psychiatrist added that the regulation operational within the nation was the “lunacy act”, which was first enacted in 1916 and reviewed in 1958.
”The Psychological Well being Invoice by the psychological well being stakeholders led by the Superior Apply Nurse , along side the Nationwide Meeting and the Ministry of Well being was but to be assented to by the President.
”That is the newest effort in 30 years,” he stated.
(NAN)
