Group mobilises stakeholders to address mental health challenges in Kaduna

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A Kaduna-based Non-Governmental Organisation, Thinkers Children Foundation (TCF), says it is mobilising relevant stakeholders to address the challenge of mental health in Kaduna State.
The Founder and Programme Director of the NGO, Mrs Itama Okhuelegbe, stated this during a one-day stakeholders’ consultation forum on mental health in Kaduna yesterday.
Okhuelegbe said that the forum, organised with the theme, “Empowering Minds: Fostering Collaboration for Mental Health in Kaduna State”, was supported by Turning Point Psychiatry Wellness, an NGO.
She explained that mental health encompasses a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
She added the condition influences how individuals think, feel, behave, including his or her ability to cope with stress, relate with others, and make meaningful choices in life.
Quoting a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, Okhuelegbe said that one in four individuals across the world were affected by mental health, adding that the its predicted to become a leading cause of global mortality by 2030.
She said that the objective of the stakeholders’ consultation forum was to increase awareness among stakeholders about mental health issues in the state.
She added that the forum was also organised to identify and understand the specific mental health challenges faced by different populations of the state, including vulnerable and marginalised groups.
In a paper entitled, “Impact of Mental Health in the Society”, Mr Peter Ebeh, Senior psychologist, Child Centre, said that addressing mental health issues requires a comprehensive approach.
Ebeh said that the approach should include destigmatizing mental illnesses, promoting mental health literacy, ensuring access to quality mental healthcare services, and creating supportive environments in communities, schools, and workplaces.
“By prioritising mental health, societies can enhance overall well-being, promote resilience, and mitigate the adverse impact of mental health on individuals and the society,” he said.
Also, the Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Aisha Abubakar, said that the government was looking into prioritising mental health issues in the state.