Nigeria first country to launch Mental Health Gap Action Programme — FG

Nigeria has set a global record as the first country to contextualise the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) Version 3.0, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has said.

He said, “It is therefore my honour to be launching the contextualised mhGAP for implementation in Nigeria.”

He made the disclosure during the commemoration of this year’s World Mental Health Day. The theme for this year is “It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace”

He said, “It is therefore my honour to be launching the contextualised mhGAP for implementation in Nigeria thus providing a tool for addressing the mental health treatment gap in the country, and strengthening human resources development for mental health service delivery in Nigeria.”

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, Prof. Pate said the ministry is committed to prioritizing the implementation of the mental health legislation and policy in the country.

The minister said the 2024 World Mental Health Day highlights various aspects of mental health at work; from workplace conditions and stress management to the importance of social inclusion and empowerment.

He enjoined employers in the public and private sectors of the country to provide requisite resources, and create a supportive culture that improves mental health in the workplace.

He said the workplace plays a significant role in shaping mental health, adding that unfortunately, stigma, stress and burnout often prevail.

“The goal is clear: to champion mental health in the workplace and build best practices that create cultures where workers have the potential to contribute productively and thrive.

“Mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, are pervasive in workplaces globally, impacting productivity, attendance and overall performance. When left untreated, the staggering economic cost is estimated at US$1 trillion annually according to WHO,” he stated.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, said in 2019, 15% of working age adults was estimated to have a mental disorder at any point in time.

He said  out of this number  more than 300 million people were living with anxiety, 1.3 million people living with depression, 1.64 million people living with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and 703,000 people died by suicide globally.

He said working people, like all people, deserve an inherent right to the highest attainable standard of mental health at work, regardless of their type of employment, and that people living with mental health conditions have a right to access, participate and thrive in work.

By Ojoma Akor

Nigeria first country to launch Mental Health Gap Action Programme — FG