Ogun records over 10,000 mental patients in six months

•CAN seeks FG concern connected intelligence health

By James Ogunnaike & Luminous Jannamike

The Ogun State authorities connected Friday raised the alarm implicit the expanding complaint of intelligence wellness patients, saying that the authorities recorded implicit 10,000 cases wrong the archetypal six months of 2025.

This is conscionable arsenic President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, called for a concern betwixt the Church and the Federal Government to code the country’s increasing intelligence wellness crisis, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, gave the fig of the intelligence wellness cases recorded successful the authorities portion briefing newsmen arsenic portion of activities to commemorate the 2025 World Mental Health Day, successful Abeokuta, saying “the load is existent and increasing fast”.

Dr. Coker who was represented by the Permanent Secretary successful the Ministry, Dr. Oladehinde Kayode, disclosed that the information got from the 4 work points successful Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Ilaro, and Ota showed that astir 1,000 were caller patients, portion others were follow-ups.

Speaking connected the taxable of the celebration, “Access to Services – Mental Health successful Catastrophes and Emergencies,” Dr. Coker reaffirmed the committedness of the authorities authorities to marque intelligence wellness services accessible, affordable, and acceptable to each residents of the state, successful enactment with planetary efforts to code intelligence wellness challenges, particularly during crises and emergencies.

While noting that catastrophes and emergencies specified arsenic floods, insecurity, illness outbreaks, and earthy disasters often permission down heavy intelligence scars successful affected communities, she added that during specified crises, radical look trauma, stress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and successful immoderate cases suicidal thoughts saying that astir of those affected are incapable to entree attraction owed to constricted services, stigma and outgo barriers.

Quoting World Health Organization (WHO) data, she disclosed that 1 successful 4 radical globally volition acquisition a intelligence wellness information successful their lifetime, portion implicit 90 percent of Nigerians surviving with intelligence unwellness deficiency entree to capable care.

“Mental wellness is not a privilege — it is simply a cardinal quality right. In Ogun State, the load of intelligence wellness is existent and growing. Data from our 4 work points, Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Ilaro, and Ota amusement that successful conscionable the archetypal fractional of 2025, we recorded implicit 10,000 diligent visits and astir 1,000 were caller patients, portion others were follow-ups, reflecting the chronic quality of these conditions. The apical conditions were psychosis, neurosis, epilepsy, depression, and substance usage disorders “ she said .

She called for corporate enactment from each sectors of society, urging families, employers, spiritual leaders, and the media to enactment intelligence well-being successful their communities.

“Government unsocial cannot lick this occupation arsenic we each request to act. As families, we should make harmless spaces for unfastened conversations connected intelligence wellness with our relatives. Employers should physique supportive workplaces that beforehand intelligence wellbeing. As spiritual and assemblage leaders, we should usage our platforms to preach compassion and entree to care”she said.

Speaking further, Dr. Coker disclosed that the authorities authorities has established assemblage intelligence wellness hospitals successful Abeokuta, Ilaro, Ijebu-Ode, and Ota to heighten entree to care.

She besides announced the enactment of the Ogun State Mental Health Action Committee, chaired by Dr. Olajide Abayomi, with 26 members drawn from assorted agencies successful enactment with the National Policy connected Mental Health.

The committee, she said, volition embark connected monolithic assemblage sensitization, education, and engagement programs successful the coming months to guarantee that radical with intelligence wellness challenges person the enactment they need. On the contented of substance abuse, she noted that the authorities authorities was partnering with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to curb cause trafficking and peddling, peculiarly among young...