Include Mental Health in Primary Health Care, Sociologist Tasks FG

A Sociologist in Edusoko University Bida, Niger State, Rabi Tafa Akanbi has advocated inclusion of Mental Health in Primary Health Care Service in the country.

Akanbi also stressed the need for Mental illness awareness as victims are faced with physical abuse in the society, which results to uncommon behaviour.

She stated this in a Chat with The Drum Reporters in Bida, Niger State.

Akanbi, described mental illness as conditions that affect individual’s moods, emotion, thinking and the way they behave.

‘’Can change someone from being 1 minute nice person and the next minute to a very mean person or someone who is not focused so it just test series of four conditions that affect the mood and the behaviour of an individual’’.

Highlighting some of the causes associated with mental illness Rabi Akanbi, said victims are faced with physical abuse which results to uncommon behaviour.

‘’Because of what they have gone through when do a young probably they had abusive parents or abusive family member that this could range from emotional abuse physical abuse or even sexual abuse and you can also look at the cause of mental illness from the aspect of someone being in an isolation with some in isolation probably have been removed from the society they don’t have connection with people’’.

The sociologist maintained that mental disorder cut across all ages, noting that it also depends on what one is dealing with at a particular time just as people who might be having the illness may not be aware of it.

In order to deal with mental illness, victims must accept the fact that they have mental disorder and to seek medical attention.

‘’Even the abuse may come from the family, I will possible say they need to reach out to the family institution and probably the family station next to do what it is meant to since they are responsible for the socialization of the child the, protection of that child taken care of the child and you know integrating all the situation and everything starts with the family’’.

Rabi said the cure for mental illness is not far from the society, like parents, religious Society and among others, calling on federal government to make mental health issues be a part of primary health care.

”I think it’s also important to reach out to the religious institution many times you no Nigerians we are very religious people, not just about praying sometimes it’s about seeking the medical attention then you can back it up with prayer , I think the government need to make mental health issues or mental health be a part of primary health care because people need to really really reach out of hospitals are closest to them if they are having mental health conditions because it would be advisable for someone from the village and have a mental condition and traveling thousands of kilometers to the city to seek mental health help.

It is important to also create awareness and enlightenment because it will not make any sense if you make mental health as part of the primary health care without enlightening the people, that mental health is real and if you are having issues you need to reach out to this clinic to seek help’’.

It has been reported that one in seven people in Nigeria will experience a serious mental disorder and 10 for a common mental health disorder.