The Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate has called on Nigerians to stop mistaking mental health conditions for mental illnesses.
The Minister spoke at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti during the grand finale of the 6th anniversary of Afe Babalola University Multi-System Hospital (AMSH).
Speaking with journalists, Professor Pate, represented by the National Coordinator for National Mental Program at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Tunde Ojo lamented the ignorant attitude of Nigerians towards people suffering from mental health conditions.
Pate, who was also the keynote speaker on the theme: “Achieving Universal Health Coverage Through Mental Health Service Integration”, advocated for promotion of universal health coverage to ensure that Nigerians have access to promotive, preventive, and rehabilitative health services without financial hardship.
According to him, “Mental health affects every one and when people talk about mental health, what comes to mind is maybe the person that is walking on the street naked, but the truth is that we have to be talking about mental well-being.
“Everything about mental health is not about disease, there are quite a number of people that have mental health conditions and they are getting treated and living their normal life.
“If those people on the street with mental issues receive care on time, they can live a normal life.”
He, however, highlighted stigmatization, economic hardship, poverty, drug addiction, lack of accessibility to quality healthcare services, among others as factors responsible for mental health conditions in the country.
In her speech, the Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, who spoke on the achievements of the Hospital such as free medical services, surgeries, among others; promised that it would continue give priority to the plights of the poor and vulnerable people in the society.
The Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Kolawole Ogundipe said the facility provides affordable and accessible health care, coupled with modern facilities to treat patients of different ailments.