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The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) chapter has raised serious concerns over the rising
spate of mental health challenges in Nigeria describing it as a threat to
society.
The group has also linked the increasing
cases of suicide across the country to the neglect of mental health issues in
the country.
Dr.
Roland Aigbovo, President of the association in the FCT, disclosed this on
Monday while briefing newsmen ahead of the commemoration of the 2019 Annual
Health Week and General Meeting/Scientific Conference in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2019 annual Health Week is: “Neglect of Mental Health: A
Threat to the Society”.
Aigbovo said that there was the need to address mental health
issues in the country, decrying that the situation is worsened by the
non-availability of medicines and absence of mental health services.
He said that mental health problem in Nigeria is also made
worse by lack of counseling, housing and support groups.
The doctor hinted that the recent high
wave of suicide, especially among youths was a call to action to take mental
health issues more seriously, adding that it behooved on the citizenry to
have a rethink on their general attitude
to mental health.
Aigbovo said that the conference would also address other
issues like management of clinical depression, physicians’ burnout and its
implication on healthcare delivery as well as revisiting the Hippocratic oath.
“We also want to draw the attention of both the government
and the general public to another important but hugely ignored aspect of
healthcare services, which is physicians’ burnout.
“Our duties as physicians put us at risk of varying health
challenges ranging from hypertension, anxiety, psychosis, drug and substance
abuse and ultimately suicide.
“We are made to attend to varying number of patients on a
daily basis and work for over 24 hours straight in many instances,” he said.
Aigbovo noted that this had a direct effect on the quality of
services rendered and made members prone to mistakes that could have been
avoided if things were done well.
He
stressed that increased cases of mental disorders was the
undesirable consequence of ignoring mental health issues. Fast Avkastèr
