MHGAP Kicks Off At Nnewi

The Federal Government
has commissioned the implementation of Mental Health Gap Action Programme (MHGAP) for the South East region at Nnewi in the effort to improve health condition of the masses.
The ceremony was held yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Complex (NAUTH), Nnewi, in collaboration with International partners and Federal Ministry of Health. It was witnessed by top officials from federal  ministry of health, including the permanent secretary, FMH, Amb.  Bala Sani, represented by Dr Aliyu Magaji, the Director, Public Health FMH, Dr Bridget Okoeguala, the chairman, Mental Health Action Committee, Prof Oye Gureje and the National Coordinator, Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Anthony Uzoro and the Anambra State Commissioner of Health, Dr Lawrence Ikeako.
Also in attendance were the Chief Medical Director  NAUTH, Dr Anthony Igwegbe and the Provost, College of Medicine, Prof Clement  Ozichukwu, among others.
Chairman of Mental Health Action committee, Prof  Gureje in an address, stated that mental, neurological and substance use disorders are the causes for considerable suffering and disability to individuals, emotional and financial burden to families, in addition to great loss of productivity and economic growth to communities and states.
He said such disorders rank among the most disabling conditions in Nigeria in particular and the world in general, with mental and behavioral disorders alone accounting for 7.4 per cent of the total years lost due to premature death and disability globally in 2010.
Citing WHO’s report which states that up to 75 per cent of persons in need of mental health service do not get the care they deserve, he lamented that there is a gross shortage fo mental health specialists in Nigeria, where the ratio is about one psychiatrist to one million people.
“Only about 20 per cent of  persons with common but serious mental disorders such as depression with suicidal risk had received any treatment in the previous 12 months… and it often takes an average of 6 years for persons who eventually get treatment to do so from the time of illness,” the Prof said.  As a way out, “Federal government has designed and adapted the MHGAP- intervention Guide(MHGA-IG), which enables non-specialists to recognise and offer treatment to patients. It is now available in some states, including Osun State”.
Gurege listed some benefits of the intervention efforts  to include significant improvement in the skills of health providers, to help deliver evidence-based care to patients, dramatic increase in number of person treated, substantial compliance  with the recommendations of the MHGAP-IG and more efficient use of the referral system previously.
Also speaking at the occasion, Dr Okoeguala, noted that 20 per cent of Nigerian children suffer depression and other forms of mental health disorders, as well as adults, regretting that they have poor access to good health care.
She frowned at the situation where most of the available experts were urban based, leaving the rural communities at risk, but said hopefully that federal government has moved to scale treatment down to the rural areas.
In a remark, the CMO, NAUTH, Prof Igwegbe, called on the sponsors to ensure that all the sections of the programmes would be implemented, just as he commended the President Goodluck  Jonathan administration for choosing Nnewi complex as the centre for the south east states of Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi.
He said, “We see this programme as a challenge, together we shall make it a success by making all necessary inputs. The board, management and university community will make our contributions to realize the good efforts of federal government”.

 
Godwin Osondu, Awka