The Nigerian government on Monday, November 12, said that over 60 million Nigerians are suffering from different degrees of mental illness.
Punch reports that the federal ministry of health said about 20 to 30 per cent of Nigerians suffer from mental illness across Nigeria.
Speaking at the Mental Health Action Committee and Stakeholders’ Workshop in Abuja, the permanent secretary of the ministry of health, Abdulaziz Abdullahi, said with a population of about 200 million, Nigeria had a high rate of mental illness.
Abdullahi's comment is a clear indication that about 60 million out of Nigeria 200 million population are suffering from one mental health illness or the other.
“There are many different mental disorders, with different presentations. They are generally characterised by a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others," Abdullahi said.
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“Mental disorders include: Depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia and other psychoses, dementia, intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders including autism.
“In Nigeria, an estimated 20 to 30 per cent of our populations are believed to suffer from mental disorders. This is a very significant number considering Nigeria has an estimated population of over 200 million.
“Unfortunately, the attention given to mental health disorders in Nigeria is inadequate. The level of awareness of the Nigerian public on mental health issues is also understandably poor, and with lots of misconceptions," Abdullahi added.
Also, the director of public health, Evelyn Ngige, said mental illness could destabilise a person more than HIV, heart disease, accidents, and wars combined.
According to Ngige, the high rate of suicide in places like Lagos may just be the tip of the iceberg.
“In Nigeria, an estimated 20 -30 per cent of our populations are believed to suffer from mental disorders, which is a very significant number.
Considering the current economic situation in the country, the above statistics are damning and in the light of the recent suicidal episodes recorded in parts of Lagos (which are obviously a tip of the iceberg), it forces a rethink in our general attitudes to mental health and questions our current maintenance of the status quo," Ngige said.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Medical Central (FMC), Bida, Oladipo Adepoju, had expressed regrets over astronomical increase in mental cases across the country in recent time when compared to the years past.
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Adepoju said the Federal Medical Centre, Bida has started documentations of cases of mental disorder for effective handling and possible reduction.
According to him, a study on mental disorder carried out by the centre showed that there were increased number of cases which are also seeking medical attention.
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