20m Nigerians battling mental health conditions — WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that 20 million Nigerians—around 20% of the country’s population—are living with mental health conditions.

This was disclosed by Dr. Azubike Aliche, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Nigeria-American Institute for Mental Health (NAIMH), during a mental health GAP Action training held in Owerri.

The programme was organised by NAIMH in collaboration with the Centre for Social Awareness, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE), and sponsored by Nigeria Mental Health Practitioners (NMHP) USA Inc. Dr. Aliche said the training aimed to empower non-psychiatric health workers to screen for mental health symptoms and assist affected individuals.

He described Nigeria’s depression rate as “alarming”—reportedly the highest in the world—and stressed the urgent need for change. He also noted that only 10% of those suffering from mental illnesses in Nigeria currently have access to care.

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Rev. Sr. Josephine Nzeke, an executive member of NMHP USA, explained that the four-day training, in its pilot stage, involves 25 healthcare professionals drawn from five local government areas in Imo State.

After training, these participants will offer community-based mental health services. Imo State Health Commissioner, Dr. Chioma Egu, called the mental health crisis a global concern and urged stakeholders to align with government policy frameworks.

Mr. Justice Ulunta, a facilitator from the Federal University of Allied Health Sciences, Enugu, called on the government to allocate more resources for training mental health professionals and upgrading facilities.