A mental health advocate, Edward Omogbohun, has called for the integration of mental healthcare into the primary health care (PHC) services covered in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Mr Omogbohun, also a psychiatrist with the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, said on Tuesday in Lagos that the integration would enhance affordability and access to care.

According to him, the integration has become imperative to close the treatment gap in the delivery of mental health services across the country.

He explained that the inclusion would not only reduce stigma for people with mental disorders and their families and improve access to care but also enhance human rights protection and improve human resource capacity for mental health.

Citing the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mr Omogbohun stated that one in every four Nigerians would have a mental illness in his/her lifetime.

He expressed concern about the number of Nigerians struggling with mental health issues, saying, “Mental healthcare is in a sorry state, given that we have more than 60 million Nigerians suffering from various mental illnesses.

“Also worrisome is the fact that only about 10 per cent of such people are able to access appropriate care.”

The inclusion of mental health in PHCs and insurance schemes, according to him, will positively impact individuals, families, communities and the nation as a whole.

He decried that many Nigerians were silently battling mental health issues, often without proper support or treatment options.

He said, “There is disparity in the level of treatment and care people with mental health conditions receive in Nigeria. The rural areas persistently face a shortage of mental health services.

“The integration is an approach in global mental health that may help address unmet mental health needs in rural and other low-resource areas.”

He emphasised the interconnection of mental and physical health, stressing that neglecting mental health could adversely affect overall well-being.

He suggested the need for the nation to scale up investment in mental health, calling for an end to the stigmatisation faced by mental health responders.

He said, “Imagine a Nigeria where mental health is given the same importance as physical health.

“To ensure a holistic approach to healthcare delivery, mental healthcare needs to be included in the insurance scheme and PHC.” 
(NAN)