Experts in Psychiatry have urged the National Assembly to pass a law to tackle the rising wave of suicide in the country.
In separate interviews, they said this became imperative because of the rise in suicide cases.
The Nigerian 1958 Lunacy Act criminalises suicide. When the same person attempts suicide and does not succeed, the experts said the best way to assist the person is not to imprisonment, but treatment in a hospital.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Former Medical Director, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr Harry Ladapo, said it was time the National Assembly passed the Bill on the review of the 1958, 132 Lunacy Laws of Nigeria. This is because, he said, the rate of mental health disease has gained global attention.
Ladapo said mental health contributed about 12 percent of world diseases and Nigeria was not an exemption.
“Although considered as one of the countries in 2007 with lower prevalence of mental disorders as documented in a report by the WHO’s Mental Health Atlas Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, recent statistics show that the prevalence of mental health issues in the country remains unabated.
‘’A study by the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, said mental health issues ranked 20 percent among other health problems, yet the country is slow in meeting global treatment standards adopted by United Nations on mental health policy as pointed out by the WHO in its ‘Mental Health: New Understanding New Hope in World Health Report’. Yet, the colonial law still governs mental health in Nigeria, he lamented.
According to the Lunacy Law, anyone caught attempting suicide should be arraigned.
Ladapo said the National Assembly should scrap the mental health legislation.
The Bill, first introduced in 2003, laid fallow in the Senate until it was withdrawn in April 2009. At the moment, it is back to the Upper House.
Ladapo said though suicide is criminal, “For somebody who has committed suicide and succeeded, there is nothing anybody can do. But if it is not complete, it is called para-suicide. This entails injuring oneself by overdosing on drugs, chemicals, sharp objects or resorting to other injurious acts that left him being rescued or brought back to life in, that is when he can be charged to court. This is different from suicide where a life is lost. The dead cannot be charged to court. So, the issue at stake is, why would anybody want to take his life?’’
He continued: “One, when a person feels that life is not worth living, maybe as a result of a chronic sickness, terminal disease, and zero condition – for instance, the elderly or disabled, who can no longer add value to the society but sees himself as a burden may end his life, especially if he cannot do daily activities, such as bathing, brushing teeth, dress or writing without being aided. They can become depressed and keep asking about the essence of living.
‘’That brought the Principle of Euthanasia in Europe, where people ask a doctor to terminate their lives. So, how does one describe that? Is that a suicide or para-suicide? There, the government decided to legalise it. Meaning that as one is getting old and cannot cope with daily living, one can request for termination of life.”
He said in Nigeria, there are socio-economic reasons which push people into suicide. Recession per se is not responsible for it, “but it is surrounded by factors, such as debt, shame, loneliness, isolation, frustration, unfulfilment, not meeting set goals or substance abuse. I must call attention to the fact that suicide is not new but the rate is escalating and must be halted. Among the Yoruba, we have seen monarchs who committed suicide because of shame, giving credence to the saying, “Emi … a tii gbo’ (Me … how come?). Even when subjects are not satisfied with rulers, they ask them to take the exit (Won sigba fun),” he said.
He added that civilisation has played a major role in how sucide cases are handled. “The task is to be our brother’s keeper. Let us engage people in discussions. Find out what people are going through at their workplace, worship or residence. Be highly observant in your surroundings. If you notice in your office that despite being gaily dressed, or an extrovert becoming a recluse or somebody who is highly enthusiastic with his job suddenly complaining of ill health; do not brush him aside and conclude he is being lazy or finding excuses, you may have a suicide candidate in your hand,’’ he said.
“Signs of suicide include loneliness, withdrawal or isolation – all these can lead to weight loss, depression or oversleeping. Jumping into the lagoon is just a tip of the iceberg because there are many reported cases which take place at home. The way out is to improve the mental status of Nigerians, and the sector. Psychiatric health workers should find out the causes, and proffer solution.
‘’Do you know that lack of money is not the only cause of suicide? Some who stole public money do it too. The money is there, but cannot spend it and they ask of the essence of life. It is high time the mental health team was encouraged. Recession and war should not make people to commit suicide. But there are circumstances beyond their control that prompt them to do so,” he said.
Acting Head of Clinical Services, Federal Neuro-Psychiatry Hopsital, Yaba, Lagos, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, said the criminalisation of suicide was predicated on the Lunacy Law made by colonial leaders.
Owoeye said: “That is the law the government is still operating. Until it is repealed and a new one put in place, the country may not get out of the problem. The truth is that those who died of suicide or attempted it are mentally sick. It is when the mental state of an individual is not altered that such an individual will not consider suicide to solve the problem. But when someone is mentally sick, he will not reason productively and may want to end it. So, suicide is a sickness and not a crime.
“In other countries, when people are seen contemplating suicide, they are referred to the hospital for treatment. Once they are treated, the problems go, and life continues. So, it is wrong for us to criminalise suicide. By so doing, one is driving sufferers into further withdrawals and may attempt a suicide. This is based on the view, “Once I don’t succeed, I will be treated like a criminal, so I must succeed in ending my life. Or I attempted once but did not succeed, so the next attempt will kill it. I must succeed in this one. This is improper.”
He said: “Our lawmakers should review the Mental Health Law in line with what obtains in other countries, especially developed nations. The bill is already with the Senate. They should make provision for the treatment of those who attempt suicide rather than get them arrested. As the law is being repealed, the government should also fund the psychiatry hospitals. There are fewer than 500 psychiatrists nationwide to take care of 170 million people. We even have fewer clinical psychologists and psychiatrist nurses. These are not enough to take care of the psychiatry need of the nation.”
Owoeye said, “More personnel should be trained. It is high time urgent attention should be paid to the mental need of Nigerians, instead of being considered as the least in the health services required nationwide. This is because out of every 100 Nigerians about 20 percent will have diagnosable mental health conditions, so there is the need for us to make adequate preparation to address the mental health issue. Counseling centres can also be set up nationwide so people can go to and un-bottle their minds. The recession going on also should be quickly addressed.”
