Bauchi First Lady inaugurates mental health steering committee

From  Paul Orude, Bauchi

Wife of the Bauchi State Governor Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed has inaugurated the State Steering Committee on Mental Health.

Speaking during the ceremony held in Bauchi, Aisha Mohammed said it was being inaugurated in collaboration with Plan International

The First  Lady said the gesture was to roll out helpline to the citizens for quick response on mental health issues.

“Let us champion mental health intervention as a collective responsibility,” she stated .

“Together, we can create a world where mental well-being is prioritised, stigma is eradicated, and timely support is available to all.

“Remember, mental health matters, and our actions today shape the well- being of generations to come.”

She was represented by the overseeing Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, Dahiru Abdullahi Aisha.

The First  Lady said that mental health is not merely the absence of illness; but encompasses emotional well-being, resilience, and the ability to cope with life’s challenges.

She reaffirmed that the ultimate goal of the administration is to have a fully functional, result oriented, affordable, accessible and inclusive health services that focuses more on the most disadvantaged, particularly people living in the rural areas, and the vulnerable population such as women, children and the elderly.

 “Traditionally, mental health services focused on secondary prevention, detecting and treating disorders after their onset. However, converging evidence highlights the potential of primary preventive and promotion strategies,.”she said 

 “By addressing mental health early, we can prevent worsening conditions, reduce suffering, and enhance overall well-being. 

“I therefore call the attention of all relevant stakeholders and partners to come up with innovations and strategies on how best mental health interventions in communities would be strengthened.

“It is in this view, that the state mental health steering committee will be established, following directives from the FMoH. 

“The mental health steering committee will ensure proper coordination, strengthening and implementation of mental health interventions in the state.

 “This government is fully aware of the challenges in the health sectors, including that of mental health services. 

“We are also fully aware that, to have a fully functional health system, we must revitalize our health facilities, strengthen our coordination mechanism, improve our systems in terms of transparency and accountability, and invest heavily on our human resource for health and research. This will not only address the identified challenges, but also reverse the negative health indices that are associated with.

“According to World Health Organization (WHO), one in eight people globally are living with mental health conditions, with depression being one of the leading causes of disability and the most common emotional problem experienced during adolescent age.Yet globally, people with mental health conditions continue to receive inadequate services

“It is no doubt that many Nigerians are going through different forms of mental health challenges; the WHO status report on mental health in Nigeria estimates that 20% or around 40 million Nigerians are affected by mental health conditions with only about 10% of those with seriously disabling mental health conditions receiving any treatment within the previous 12 months.”

Aisha Mohammed thanked Global Affairs Canada for providing funds through Plan International to set-up a mental health toll-free line in order to provide mental health and psychosocial support services to individuals in needs, especially the adolescents.

Earlier in his remarks, State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adamu Umar Sambo said that the inauguration of the steering committee would address issues of mental health.

Sambo explained  that the committee will get the required attention adding that the steering committee will be accorded the necessary support to enable it perform its responsibilities as contained in the term of reference for its operation.