Dr Joseph Okegbe, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, on Tuesday said mental health facilities and personnel in the nation are grossly inadequate.
Speaking in Calabar, Cross River State, Okegbe said there were only eight Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospitals in the country, which are insufficient to cater for the mental health issues in the country.
“So many states did not establish any psychiatric hospital including my state, Cross River.
“We don’t even have the personnel because we don’t want to spend money to train personnel in mental health.
“We need to start asking for good social safety links such as easy accessibility to good health care, roads and other social amenities.
“On our own, people with good information can access good mental health services at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar.
“We have been able to do more based on our circumstance and the level of social infrastructure such as water and electricity available to us,’’ Okegbe said.
He, however, called on Nigerians to disregard the idea that every mental health challenge is a spiritual attack as some were biologically and genetically linked.
The mental health expert also advised Nigerians to avoid exposure to traumatic events, especially with the situation in the nation in the last few months and to avoid the use of dangerous drugs and seek medical advice when necessary.
(NAN)