APN urges NASS to pass mental health bill

By Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) has urged the National Assembly to expedite action on passing into law the 2019 Mental Health Bill before it. This is coming against the backdrop of the recurring cases of events regarding the cruelty to and human rights abuses of persons with mental health and psychosocial disabilities in Nigeria.

The bill, according to a statement by APN President, Dr. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, will provide enhancement of mental wellbeing of the citizens through programmes that promote mental well-being, prevent mental health and psychosocial disabilities and provide effective, compassionate, humane and universally accessible treatments for mental health and psychosocial disabilities.

It will also regulate  mental health and substance abuse services, protect persons with mental health and psychosocial disabilities needs (from human rights abuse, stigmatisation, discrimination, protect their properties and support their families) and the establishment of National Commission for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (for effective management of mental health and psychosocial disabilities and other related matters in Nigeria).

“Persons living with mental health and psychosocial disabilities should be considered as disadvantaged and vulnerable.

Government should make special provisions for them in all spheres of their lives, specifically mental health and psychosocial services should be accessible and declared free for them.

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“There should be adequate funding of mental health services and provision of psychosocial support services to persons living with mental and psychosocial disabilities with a view to guaranteeing their mental wellbeing, protecting their fundamental human rights and ensuring social inclusion.

Mental health care service should be incorporated into primary health care service to enhance effective and qualitative community mental health and psychosocial services and encourage community participation,” Sheikh said.

It added that there is an urgent need for the recruitment of mental health professionals into the healthcare structure at all levels of healthcare delivery service.

“As mental health is inseparable from physical health, adequate provision should be made for the training of all healthcare personnel on basic mental health and psychosocial skills for effective task sharing and task shifting generally and specifically, mental health professionals should be routinely trained and retrained on strategies for effective mental health promotion, mental illness prevention activities and early recognition of mental health and psychosocial problems for comprehensive care and mitigation of disabilities.

“Government should urgently set up a task force that will identify illegal treatment centers and disband all unapproved treatment and detention centers where all forms of unorthodox mental healthcare and psychosocial services are being rendered particularly those that violate the rights of persons with mental health and psychosocial disabilities.”