Prof. Taiwo Lateef-Sheik, the Medical Director, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, says about 80 per cent of Nigerians with mental health problems do not have access to treatment. Lateef-Sheik stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Ikara, headquarters of Ikara Local Government Area of the state, shortly after a week-long training on mental health.
Lateef-Sheik said: “Statistics shows that about 80 per cent of Nigerians who have issues that have to do with mental health do not actually receive treatment.
“We felt that there is need for us to improve access to mental healthcare to Nigerians, hence the decision to develop this programme.
“The essence is to treat mental healthcare at General Hospitals and also bring it to primary health centres,’’ he said.
According to him, the Neuropsychiatric hospital has a package with the Kaduna State Government.
“We have piloted strengthening mental healthcare service delivery at three general hospitals in Kaduna State.
“These include: Ikara, Birnin-Gwari and Kachia general hospitals, we have doctors that are providing mental healthcare and we have also trained their health workers comprising doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
“We are providing training at these three areas; we have already provided the training at Birnin-Gwari, they have been trained and have been seeing mental healthcare patients and referring them to general hospital.
“This is the second phase at Ikara, hoping that they would be able to recognise mental health challenges, treat those with mild cases and refer those with severe cases to Ikara general hospital,’’ he said.
Lateef-Sheik said there would be training at Kachia in March for primary healthcare workers to enable them identify and treat those with mental health challenges.
“By so doing, patients do not have to travel all the way to Kaduna in order to access treatment for mental health disorder.
So, we believe when we bring the services down to the grassroots, we are bringing a lot of relief to the people.
“This is because it will lead to easy access, it reduces cost and it also removes stigma,’’ he said.
Lateef-Sheik identified inadequate funds as one of the greatest challenges facing the hospital.
According to him, the training is being financed from the meager resources of the hospital and a little support from an NGO.
NAN
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