NAN-HG-15
Law
By Yetunde Fatungase
Abeokuta, Oct. 10, 2016 (NAN) Unless the mental health bill is passed into law, patients will continue to suffer from social stigma, Dr Oluseun Ogunnubi, a Consultant Psychiatrist, has said.
The medical expert made this known on Monday at a seminar organised by the Association of Psychiatric Nurses of Nigeria, Neuropsychiatric Hospital Unit, Aro, Abeokuta.
Ogunnubi spoke on “Dignity in Mental Health: Psychological and Mental First Aid’’ at the forum to commemorate the 2016 World Mental Health Day.
According to him, the bill will seek to address the issue of social discrimination against people suffering from mentally related ailments.
Ogunnubi contended that the law that operates in Nigeria is an “archaic lunacy law’’ which had been in use since the early 1980s.
He called on members of the National Assembly to pass a comprehensive mental health bill to create room for the protection of the rights of mental health patients.
“This mental health bill in Nigeria has been at the NASS since the 80s; we even refer to it as ‘orphan’ bill as no one is ready to sponsor it.
“Unless this bill is passed into law like Ghana did two years ago, mental health patients will continue to suffer this social stigma,’’ he said.
The psychiatrist pointed out that the country’s response to natural disaster is negative.
He stressed the need for government to employ the use of psychological first aid for victims of disasters in order to mitigate their traumatic condition.
The medical expert said like other patients who are suffering from various ailments, people with mental ailment should be shown empathy and not discriminated against.
He disclosed that 31 per cent of diseases affecting people in the world were mentally and psychologically related,
Ogunnubi called for more budgetary allocation from the government to support mental health challenges.
“Thousands of mentally ill people are deprived of their rights and suffer from discrimination and stigmatisation.
Another 78 per cent of Nigerians will be upset working with people with mental ailment while some won’t relate with relatives suffering from this disease.
“Even Neuropsychiatric Doctors and Nurses are not spared of this stigma,’’ he said.
Earlier, Abosede Olaifa, the Chairman of the association, said the event was organised to draw attention to mental illness and its effects on people’s lives.
She noted that the theme of this year’s World Mental Day as announced by the World Federation of Mental Health was quite timely.
“This is the time our dear country is going through an exasperating time and psychological first aid should be a component of the overall response to emergencies which should be incorporated into disaster preparedness,’’ she added. (NAN)
YAF/AOM/OJO
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(Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)