By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists (NACP) has called on the federal government to increase the budgetary allocation to the health and mental health sub-sector.
It also lamented the increased cases of addictive behaviour occasioned by abuse of substances in the country.
The National President of the association, Professor Gboyega Abikoye made the call at their 2023 National Conference/Annual General Meeting held at the Ekiti State University, (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Speaking to newsmen at the event with the theme: “The Practice of Clinical Psychology: Confronting the Emerging Threat of Addictive Behaviour and Mental Problem”
Abikoye, who is a professor of Clinical Psychology advised Nigerians to avoid illegal drugs and substance saying treatment of mental problems is very expensive in the country.
He said, “Government should also pay more attention to the mental health issues. In Nigeria, the health sector has been receiving a disproportionately and low budgetary allocation relative to other ministries and within the health sector itself , the mental health sub- sector had been receiving less than 6 percent of the total budget allocated to the ministry of health and that is rather too poor. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the allocation should not be less that 20 perfect but consistently over the years it has been less than 6 percent. What the federal government should do is to increase the allocation to the health sector and to the mental health sub-sector in particular and make treatment of patients more affordable.”
On why the theme was chosen for this year’s conference, he said “We have observed in recent times that menace of substance abuse especially about addictive behaviour that covers so many areas like pathological gambling, drug use and several others. We noticed that , this is on the rise in Nigeria and globally too and it appears to be defying all solutions.
“Everyday we read about National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, arresting people , seizing illegal drugs, yet the menace is on the rise. Unfortunately, many people don’t know the link between addictive behaviour and mental health, they are very closely interrelated, infact one hardly goes alone. Addictive behaviour most times leads to serious member health challenges and so this is the reason we decided that this year’s theme should focus on this twin threat of addictive behaviour and mental health . And unfortunately in Nigeria, these are issues that are not receiving enough attention.”
The Vice Chancellor of EKSU, Prof. Edward Olanipekun who was represented by deputy Vice Chancellor (Development) Prof. Ayan Adeleke welcomed all participants to the institution and the state expressed confidence that the recommendations of the conference will go a long way in addressing the challenge of addictive behaviour and mental health issues in our country.
He urged the stakeholders to implement the recommendation of the conference saying “if 50 percent of all conferences recommendations to the policy makers are being implemented the country will be as it is today.”
The NACP president added that the use of providence based approach to tackling the problem is one of the things the body has been advocating for.
“For instance, it has been shown all over the world that merely arresting and incarcerating drug users does not work.Most of the time they are imprisoned, they learn even more ways of using substance right there. All the farms they have been burning all these times have not solve the problem. We call such approach supply reduction approach. What has been shown to us globally is the demand reduction approach. By so doing , you appeal to people’s minds and make them see the reason why they shouldn’t engage in risky and detrimental behaviour and psychologists and mental health professionals are beat qualified to handle such issues.”
He disclosed that the association is liarsing with the media, National Assembly and other stakeholders to get the information across to the people.and also involved with some funding agencies in some projects with United Nations office of crime and drug, European Union and others and they have been advocating at those levels.
On the effects of the subject matter on the people, he said, “Right now treatment is not affordable. Treatments in most facilities in Abuja cost an average one million naira every month and how many people can afford that? Most of the times, it is politicians and the reach people that can afford such to treat their affected children and wards.
“Our message to the generality of Nigerians is that they should avoid doing drugs because prevention is better than cure. Addiction is not easy to treat. It is a chronic disease that affect the brain and once the brain gets affected it is always difficult to change, because the critical areas of the brain that regulates motivation, pleasure, emotion have been compromised and reconfigured and it takes time and huge resources to correct it. People must know the danger for them not to get involved, once they get hooked it is not easy to come out of it.”
Chairman of the local organising committee of the conference, Professor Olu Olatunji, said the university is happy to host the conference designed to addressing the issue of addictive behaviour which has become a serious problem in our society.
“The problem of addictive behaviour is a problem of the society and we want to partner with government to solve this problem. We are professionals if government can listen to our recommendations and implement it, then the problem of addictive behaviour in our society will be solved.
“Over 60 abstracts have submitted and various research conducted on this matter are to be presented in the conference. The summary of all their findings that will lead us to the solution to the problem”.
Photos at the event:
