By Lilian U. Okoro
A Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Veronica Nyamali, has called for adoption of task shifting /task sharing strategy to close the treatment gap in the delivery of mental health services across the country.
Nyamali, also the Vice-President of Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria (APN), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
She cited that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended task shifting or task sharing to improve access to and delivery of healthcare services in remote areas.
The psychiatrist explained that with task shifting strategy, Community Health Officers (CHOs) and Accredited Social Health Activists used community-based assessment checklists to identify individuals at risk of communicable, non-communicable, and mental health disorders.
She added that CHOs would then ensure continuity of care through regular follow-up, bridging the gap between diagnosis and treatment of mental healthcare services.
For the system to effectively work, Nyamali emphasised the need for the mental health professionals to collaborate and train the CHOs for effective service delivery.
She also emphasised the need for integration of mental healthcare services into primary healthcare so that those at the grassroots – rural communities could have access.
“The approach will go a long way to help in bridging the gap between diagnosis and treatment of mental healthcare, ensuring that people at the grassroots and communities have access to care.
“This practice significantly augments the effectiveness of community-level mental health interventions.
“Integrating mental health into primary health care will facilitate earlier detection and treatment of mental health disorders,” she said.
The psychiatrist decried the treatment gap in mental healthcare services in the country, saying that mental healthcare services were barely accessible outside the urban cities.
According to her, there is disparity in the level of treatment and care people with mental health conditions receive in Nigeria.
“The burden of mental health disorders, alongside other non-communicable diseases, has become increasingly significant in rural and remote regions.
“More than half of people with mental illness don’t receive help for their disorders.
“Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood.
“That’s because stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness are still very much a problem.
“It is the duty of the CHOs and community-based nurses to educate the rural dwellers on mental health,” she said.
According to her, it is critical that people with mental health conditions have continued access to treatment and care, saying that failure to take people’s mental and emotional wellbeing seriously will lead to long-term social and economic costs to society.
She, therefore, underscored the need for establishment of mental healthcare facilities at the grassroots and communities where mental health services were also needed, as many mental illnesses occurred in the rural areas. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
