Mr Tunde Ajiboye, an Abuja-based clinical psychologist, has raised alarm over poor attention and inadequate treatment for people with mental illness in Nigeria.
Ajiboye stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Abuja.
He expressed dismay that the African Health and Development Policy Agenda, had over the years not given adequate attention to persons with mental health issues.
The psychologist said persons with mental health challenges were often faced with problems of poverty, infectious diseases, maternal and child mortality, as well as conflicts.
According to him, this trend is often compounded by three factors including ignorance about the extent of mental health problems, stigma and mistaken beliefs that mental illnesses cannot be treated.
He said 90 per cent of patients with mental health issues often died prematurely due to lack of access to treatment; adding that mental and physical health were inseparable.
“Chronic non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis, have high levels of co-morbidity with mental illness.
“This co-morbidity does not only influence disability, but also has direct consequences for mortality.
“In a further twist, people with HIV have been shown to be twice as likely as the general population to be depressed. And treating them for depression improves adherence and boosts their immune systems,” he said.
He added that poverty, depression, anxiety and psychological disorders, with inconsistent physical symptoms, were strongly associated with common mental disorders.
The psychologist also noted that the relationship between mental health and poverty, was cyclical, adding that poverty often increased the risk of mental illness.
He said this often-followed food and income insecurity, increased trauma, illness and injuries; and the lack of resources to cushion the blow of these events.
“Conversely living with a mental illness leads those affected to drift into poverty through increased healthcare expenditure, disability and stigma.
“People living with mental illness, particularly severe mental illness, are frequently stigmatised, shunned, and excluded from mainstream society. This is as true in Nigeria as it is in societies around the world.
“Those with schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder and epilepsy are frequently subjected to human rights abuses.
“They are often cast aside because of beliefs that psychosis or epileptic seizures are signs of demon possession or evil spirits, and they are denied access to life changing treatment,” he explained.
Ajiboye, however, said there appeared to be a ray of hope as a range of mental health interventions across Africa, was leading to clinical improvements.
“Since the early 2000s, a series of randomised controlled trials in African countries have provided compelling evidence that mental health interventions are highly effective.
“These include pharmacological and psychological interventions; many of these have used non-specialist health providers in local communities, reducing the cost of care,” he explained.
The psychologist said that mental health interventions would also improve the economic circumstances of people and households affected by it.
He therefore, said investing in mental health meant promoting resilience in the country as it was a means to social and economic development, and a worthy goal.
