•As Kings Psychiatry debuts, seeks policy reforms
By Sola Ogundipe
Worried by the increasing spate of mental health challenges among Nigerians, a mental health specialist, Dr Oluwatoyin Oladejo has called on the Federal government to place mental health on the same priority level as national security and physical healthcare.
Oladejo, a US trained healthcare entrepreneur, and Co-CEO of Kings Psychiatry, a Lagos-based mental health outpatient facility, warned that Nigeria's silent mental health epidemic was being fueled by stigma, poor policy integration and chronic shortage of specialists.
Speaking at the unveiling of the mental health facility, Oladejo decried the increasing spate of mental health challenges warning that Nigeria may be sitting on a time bomb if urgent measures are not taken to stem the tide.
"This is a national issue, if the nation’s leaders and people are not mentally well, decision-making is affected and society cannot progress.
"Until we start talking about mental health openly, many more lives will be lost unnecessarily. Mental health is health, and Nigeria must treat it as such.
"What we are proposing to the federal government is the integration of mental health screening into primary healthcare. When people come for routine checks like hypertension, diabetes or antenatal visits, they should also be screened for depression, anxiety and other mental health issues," she remarked.
Such integration, she explained, would help identify chronic conditions early and prevent tragic outcomes.
"Primary healthcare providers should be empowered to start basic treatment immediately instead of waiting for a psychiatrist the patient may never be able to see.
"If we intervene early in schools, we can reduce online abuse, workplace violence and broken families. Mental health is not a luxury; it is a national productivity issue. Untreated mental illnesses reduce workplace output, destabilise families and place a heavy financial burden on the country.
Calling for stronger engagement with faith-based organisations, she observed that churches have influence, noting that leaders should but educated to offer guidance on seeking professional mental health care and support.
A major policy gap, she argued, is the absence of routine mental health screening in Nigeria's primary healthcare system.
She said deep-rooted stigma surrounding mental illness forces families to hide affected relatives rather than seek help.
On his part, Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, and also Co-CEO of Kings Psychiatry, lamented that fewer than 300 psychiatrists in Nigeria were dangerously inadequate.
Oladejo, a former Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations in Lagos and past Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area, described the criminalisation of attempted suicide as outdated and counterproductive.
"Someone who attempts suicide is not a criminal but a patient in crisis. They need urgent medical and psychological support, not arrest or prosecution," he said, adding that the Centre would actively support advocacy for legal reforms in line with global best practices.
"Our goal is to provide evidence-based, compassionate and confidential mental healthcare in an environment that restores dignity to patients. Mental illness should not be treated like a crime or hidden away in shame," he affirmed.
Kings Psychiatry meets international standards, with focus on privacy, professionalism and patient confidentiality.
It would offer psychiatric evaluations, counselling, psychotherapy, substance use disorder treatment and crisis intervention services.
The new Centre, which operates strictly on an outpatient basis through appointment, offers discreet and affordable care.
It plans large-scale community outreach, targeting educational institutions, worship houses and workplaces, with plans to address issues such as bullying, substance abuse, anxiety, and attention disorders from an early stage.
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