joshuaCreate mental health drugs revolving fund in PHCs – Psychiatrist urges Nasarawa Govt.
From Esther Akaa, Lafia
A Consultant Psychiatrist with the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia, Dr Paul Agbo, has appealed to the Nasarawa State Government to create mental health drugs revolving fund in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state.
Dr Agbo said the measure will enhance easy accessibility of drugs and improve the health of patients in the rural communities.
The Consultant Psychiatrist made the appeal at a symposium to commemorate the 2024 World Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday in Lafia.
Dr Agbo who was the lead facilitator at the symposium also called on the State Government to train personnel to render counseling services to prevent the growing number of suicide cases in the society.
He said there was need for government and other critical stakeholders to promote mental health by fostering individual competence, resources and psychological strengths to prevent mental health disorders..
Dr Agbo who identified stigmatisation, criminalisation and lack of proper awareness about suicide as common health challenges militating against addressing the menace of suicide, said all hands must be on deck to prevent it risk factors.
Speaking on “the role of journalists in the prevention of suicide”, Dr Agbo said media professionals ought to be discreet when reporting suicide cases to guard against imitation by others with such tendencies.
“The media ought to be trained on sensible media reportage of suicide. The ethics of their profession which we presume include respect, dignity, empathy , non-malfeasance, also suggested that autonomy must be applied to the fullest.
” The idea is to prevent the “werther’s” effect which is a phenomenon where cases of suicide increases after the publication of suicide news due to imitation or copycat suicide.
“In addition, the more graphic the description of suicide, the more likely it be imitated,” he said.
The consultant psychiatrist also called on stakeholders to develop and emphasise on resilience and other socio-emotional skills acquisition for adolescent as preventive measures against suicide in the communities.
Dr Agbo said early identification, assessment, management and follow-up of those affected by suicide behaviours would help in enhancing well being and quality lives of the people.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to always look out for signs of depression that could lead to suicide and offer help by referring patients to hospitals rather than attributing spirituality to the situation.
On his part, the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Gaza Gwamna said the state was considering restructuring its health policy to make mental health services accessible at PHCs across the state.
The Commissioner represented by Dr John Damian, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, noted that suicide as a major outcome of mental health challenge had become a public health concern.
He noted that it was established that suicidal tendency and suicide were diseases that could be prevented or treated, hence the need for concerted efforts from stakeholders in that direction.
The Commissioner also said the collaboration of partners and other stakeholders in creating awareness and taking mental health services to the people in the communities would go a long way to addressing the rising cases of suicide.
Earlier, Dr Ibrahim Adamu, the Director, Public Health in the Ministry, said the symposium organised in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), was to sensitise stakeholders on the prevalence of suicide in the society.
Dr Adamu said the maiden edition of the symposium by the Ministry was a wake up call on stakeholders to contribute their quota in line with the theme for the year 2024 :”Changing the Narrative on Suicide.”
He emphasised that, since attempted suicide and its propensity have been recognised as diseases for which victims required assistance, stigmatising and criminalising suicide was actually doing more harm than good.
“It’s time for us to understand that suicide or attempted suicide are diseases and like all other diseases, we should prevent them. When we see cases of attempted suicide, we should have the opportunity to treat or manage those cases,” he said.
Nigerian Post reports that the symposium was attended by representatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), Nigerian Correctional Service, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) ,State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the Media, among others.
