70% of people with mental health challenge lack treatment – Expert

A neuropsychiatric expert, Dr Sunday Sajo, says that over 70 per cent of people with mental health challenges in Nigeria have no access to medical treatment.

Sajo, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Akure, stated this at the 2025 World Mental Health Day celebration on Friday in Akure.

The programme tagged: “ Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies” was organised by the state Ministry of Health and the state Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Akure.

He said that it was worrisome that the stakeholders and authorities did not give much attention to mental health, as being done to physical health.

The CMD said it was regrettable that many Nigerians were not knowledgeable about their mental health, hence, the need for the celebration.

According to him, the rise in terrorism, kidnapping and other high profile criminalities have increased the level of mental health challenges.

Sajo noted that when such victims of such criminalities were being supported with items, food and other things, their mental health was being neglected.

He also said that mental health was a right of every Nigerian, urging all and sundry to be an advocate for provision of mental health.

Also, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Health, Dr Adeniran Ikuomola, said that everyone was being affected one way or the other by mental health challenge.

Ikuomola, represented by Dr Stephen Fagbemi, the Director Public Health, appreciated the neuropsychiatric hospital for its efforts to address mental health challenges in the state.

He said that mental health was a part of health whic was neglected with few partners supporting the government.

Ikuomola commended the state contributory health insurance commission for offering coverage for mental health.

The permanent secretary said that during emergency response, there should be provision of mental health facilities.

He enjoyed Nigerians to desist from posting pictures of victims of emergencies to prevent emotional trauma and mental challenge on their relatives.

“We should learn how to protect identities of families involved in an emergence so that people will not suffer emotional challenge.

“Also, people with mental health challenge are most vulnerable in time of emergencies as well as frontline workers called responders,” he said.

Similarly, the Programme Officer in the ministry, Mr Stephen Adesida, said without mental health, there was no health, hence, the need for all hands to be on deck in ensuring a good mental health.

“There should be no need for discrimination against persons with mental health challenges because any part of the body can be sick.

In her remarks, Mrs Yetunde Jeyfous, Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the state, urged everyone to prioritise their mental health wellbeing.

Jeyfous advised anyone with mental health challenges to seek help, asking the society to encourage open conversations about mental health and support those struggling with drug addiction.

Other partners such as APIN Public Health Initiative, Soladeff Epilepsy Foundation and Slum and Rural Health Initiative also encouraged the society and governments to pay more attention to mental health.