Follow Us on Google
Christy Anyanwu
The Federal government has been advised to evolve a national strategy to stem rising cases of suicides across the country.
A mental health advocate and Executive Director, The Nous Organisation, Ms. Lade Olugbemi-Ogunsetan, who made the appeal said the resort to suicide by Nigerians at the slightest challenge must be quickly addressed by relevant stakeholders, especially the federal government.
Olugbemi-Ogunsetan, who spoke at a media briefing on national conference on suicide prevention at the University of Lagos auditorium, revealed that 25-30 per cent of Nigeria’s population have the type of mental illness challenges which often result into suicides.
Said Olugbemi-Ogunsetan: “This figure by the World Health Organisation is revealing; what it means is that three out out of every 10 Nigerians have mental health challenges, and this is why it is imperative for the Federal Government to evolve appropriate strategies to stem rising cases of suicides.”
According to her, deaths from suicide was not helped either with only 200 psychiatrists available to assist mental sick patients in a country with a population of about 200 million people. She pleaded with Nigerians to change their attitude towards people with mental health challenges.
