Up to 30% Nigerians suffer from mental disorder – FG
The Nigerian Ministry of health has disclosed that up to 30% of Nigerians are suffering from mental disorder which manifests in different forms, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other psychoses, dementia, intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders like autism.
The statistics show that one out of every three Nigerians is affected by some sort of mental health issue which the health ministry says is characterised by a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others.
While addressing the issue, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi said the high rate of mental illness is attributable to lack of adequate attention to mental illness.
“Unfortunately, the attention given to mental health disorders in Nigeria is inadequate. The level of awareness of the Nigerian public on mental health issues is also understandably poor, and with lots of misconceptions,” he said.
The Director of Public Health, Dr Evelyn Ngige postulated that the effects of mental disorder might be more devastating on people’s wellbeing than HIV, heart disease, accidents, and wars combined.
“In Nigeria, an estimated 20-30 per cent of our populations are believed to suffer from mental disorders, which is a very significant number. Considering the current economic situation in the country, the above statistics are damning. It forces a rethink in our general attitudes to mental health and questions our current maintenance of the status quo,” she said.
