Mr Pate said mental health is an integral part of health
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, on Tuesday said severe mental health conditions can reduce the life expectancy of people by 20 years.
Mr Pate while speaking at an event to commemorate the 2023 World Mental Health Day said mental illness is a hidden epidemic that requires more attention.
He said there is an urgent need to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing and drive actions that promote and protect the mental health of Nigerians as a universal human right.
He noted that good mental health is crucial at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood and old age.
"Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, there is no health without mental health," he said.
"Our mental health determines how we handle stress and relate to others and our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships, and shape the world we live in."
Promoting good mental health
Mr Pate explained that improving the mental health of Nigerians has become a priority and that the promotion of good mental health and wellbeing is everybody's business.
He said everyone has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health irrespective of age or status.
"This includes the right to be protected from mental health risk, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence, and inclusion in the community," he said.
He said having a mental health condition should not be the reason to deprive a person of their human rights or to exclude them from decisions about their own health.
The coordinating minister noted that people with mental health conditions continue to experience a wide range of human rights violations globally.
He explained that many are excluded from community life and discriminated against, while many more cannot access the mental health care they need.
COVID-19 impact
Mr Pate said the WHO 2022 global status report on mental health indicates that the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic caused an increase in depression and anxiety by more than 25 per cent in the first year.
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He said nearly one billion people are living with mental health conditions globally.
"People living with mental health conditions are among the most underserved with treatment gaps ranging between 55 per cent and 90 per cent in high and low-income countries respectively. "
He said the Ministry of Health is committed to developing legislation, policies, guidelines, and interventions aimed at improving the mental health and well-being of all people in Nigeria.
World Mental Health Day
First observed on 10 October 1992 by a group of experts under the umbrella of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), the commemoration drew the world's attention in 1994 when for the first time it endorsed a global theme: "Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World."
Since then, the commemoration has gained global relevance and recognition as WHO has consistently partnered with WFMH and other partners to raise awareness and education around issues of mental health.
This year's theme; "Mental Health is a Universal Human Right" aims to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone's mental health as a universal human right.
