20% of Nigerians at risk of mental disorder

A Psychiatrist and former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Dr Femi Olugbile, says at least 20 per cent of Nigerians are prone to mental disorder. Olugbile, while speaking with reporters in Lagos on Wednesday, said “At least 20 per cent of the population will at some time in their lives experience at least one episode of mental disorder.’

According to him, it can also be due to high rate of poverty, lack of social welfare and high rate of endemic infectious diseases.

He said that at any point in time, two to five per cent of the 20 per cent population would manifest the symptoms of mental disorder at early stage. “These figures are universal, but the mental disorder can increase in times of social upheaval, such as war, terrorism and so on. “Also, security challenges including kidnappings and armed robbery can lead to increased stress, which increases the likelihood of nervous breakdown,’’ Olugbile said.

The consultant psychiatrist decried the few number of psychiatry hospitals in the country, noting, that the facilities would not meet the number of people that need medical attention.

He suggested that a larger number of specialist hospitals spread across the country should be useful in the management of mental disorder.

“However, there is need to effectively use what is on the ground as mental healthcare should start from the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs)”, he said.

Olugbile said integration of private hospitals would enable people to get care close to their homes, while the specialist hospitals would only deal with serious referral cases.

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