From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Nigerian Psychological Association, (NPA), in collaboration with World Health Organization, (WHO), has advocated for increased funding for mental health activities in Benue state.
The State Chairman of NPA, Dr. Iorlumun Shimakaa, made this in Makurdi at a Two-Day Capacity Building Training on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Benue state, organized by the NPA in collaboration WHO and the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services and stakeholders in mental health.
Shimakaa who described the call as necessary
Nigerians suffering unstable mental health issues as a result of the current socio economic challenges being experienced in the country.
The NPA chairman who said the development was a source of worry for experts in the sector, noted that without sound mental health no one would be able to realize his or her full potentials in any given field.
Dr. Shimakaa said “we all agree that everybody in Benue state particularly and in Nigeria cannot boast of having a stable mental health because of the present challenges that have affected our mental health generally.
“And we also agree that there cannot be good health without mental health. For that reason, it has become imperative that we come together as partners to deepen our knowledge and improve the services we are delivering at our various platforms of intervention.
“So with this capacity building, we will not just come up with increased level of knowledge but we will also step up our level of intervention in the various places where we have been intervening.
“But most importantly for us in Benue state, the Nigeria Psychological Association has risen up to its responsibilities to take the lead as the lead advocator for mental health and for mental health issues in the state. For us we have assumed this role and responsibility with all seriousness.
“It is our hope that at he end of this strategic capacity building training, it will be a foundation for all of us to have a harmonized intervention in mental health. And we will also come up with a refined pathway for mental health activities. And all of us as collaborators will all put our hands on deck to ensure that in our respective spaces, we will follow the pathway we are going to define for mental health intervention in Benue state.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Yanmar Ortese, said the state had accorded attention to the issues of mental health and wellbeing of the people with the establishment of treatment services in all the 276 Council Wards of the state.
Ortese who was represented by the Mental Health Desk Officer in the Ministry, James Ngutswen, said the refresher training was timely as it would also boost the capacity of the service providers in the state.
He said, “as a government we will continue to advocate to ensure the mental wellbeing of every individual in the state to help them reach their full potentials.”
A staff of Benue State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA), Donald Komgbenda, said the attacks by herdsmen in Benue communities which gave rise to displacement of citizens has given the state huge mental health burden.
He said most IDPs need counselling and serious interventions to enable them come out of their psychological trauma.
He said the state government has deployed mental health experts to the over 14 IDP camps in the state who are intervening and supporting the IDPs with psychological therapy.
Present at the training were participants from the Civil Society Organizations, (CSO), the academia, hospitals among others.