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A prof of Psychiatry astatine the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Taiwo Lateef Sheik has advocated the decriminalization of termination attempts successful the state and alternatively absorption much connected addressing determinants of intelligence health.
He revealed that determination is little than 1 intelligence wellness nonrecreational for each 100,000 people.
Sheik stated these successful Abuja portion speaking connected the topic, ”Mental Health arsenic a Pillar of National Security”, astatine the 2025 World Mental Health Day Symposium with taxable ”Access to Services: Mental Health successful Catastrophes and Emergencies” .The symposium was organised by the Department of Defence Civil Military Relations successful collaboration with Secure the Future.
He said termination is the 3rd starring origin of decease among 15-29 olds globally and 2nd successful Africa.
He reiterated that much than 1 successful 5 radical surviving successful settings affected by struggle person a intelligence wellness condition, adding that radical with terrible intelligence conditions dice 10-20 years earlier than the wide population.
In Nigeria, helium said for each decease it is estimated determination are astatine slightest 20 attempts “meaning immoderate 300,000 Nigerians, successful suicidal distress, look the agonizing question of asking for assistance with added menace of the hazard of punishment,” helium said.
Speaking further, helium said an mean of six persons related to idiosyncratic deceased by termination endure intelligence wellness and psychosocial sequelae, “adding these unneurotic astir 450,000 Nigerians request enactment annually, the statistic is rather alarming indeed!”
According to Prof Sheikh, Nigeria has an estimated 15,000 yearly deaths from termination oregon 6.9 per 100,000 arsenic reported by the World Health Organization.
He said, “Where termination remains a transgression these numbers are apt to beryllium wide under-reported, masking the imaginable standard of the crisis.”
He lamented that entree to intelligence wellness services is mediocre and societal determinants of termination abound successful the society.
“Nigeria is among astir 25 countries successful satellite wherever termination inactive remains a crime.
The instrumentality is simply a assemblage instrumentality (those who brought it person changed it successful their countries).”
He besides lamented mediocre backing for intelligence wellness which accounts for lone 3.5 percent of wellness budget, adding that 90 percent of it goes for hospitals to wage salaries and not to supply psychosocial support.
“Health financing mostly retired of pouch lacks equity and limits wellness attraction delivery, outgo of attraction prohibitive owed to nonstop and incidental expenses,” helium added.
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