Lagos to promote mental health awareness among civil servants

The Lagos state government says it will promote awareness on mental health issues as it relates to civil servants.

Rasheed Kolade, coordinator and clinical director of Lagos State Employee Wellness Centre (LASWELL), stated this during a mental health event organised by the Orunsii Wellcare Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, held in Alausa on Tuesday.

On April 13, the foundation launched a mental health project in Lagos state to improve the wellbeing of residents.

The project, tagged “Mental Health Awareness, De-stigmatisation and Enlightenment (MHADE) in Lagos State”, targets persons between the ages of 15 and 70.

The event which held at the Alausa secretariat in Ikeja is for the next phase of the project involving data gathering on mental health status in Lagos.

Kolade doubled as the representative for Akin Abayomi, Lagos commissioner for health, and Olusegun Ogboye, permanent secretary of the state’s ministry of health.

The event was attended by Ibijoke, wife of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos; and Oluremi, wife of Obafemi Hazmat, deputy governor.

According to Kolade, many civil servants find it hard to seek medical help due to stigmatisation, noting that the Lagos state government has provided the centre for the use of civil servants, but many of them are yet to utilise the facility.

He, however, appealed to the first lady to seek ways of promoting partnership between the foundation and LASSWELL in promotion of mental health awareness in various ministries in the state.

“We can see that COVID-19 has brought in a lot of negative effects to our environment. So, in the near future, we will see a lot of depressive patients and a lot of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients,” he said.

“I just want to appeal to you (referring to the first lady). I don’t know how you can help us. We have the Lagos Wellness Centre that is created for the civil servants and it is under my jurisdiction.

“I found out that we have a lot of psychiatric illness among the civil servants, but because of stigma, you find it very difficult to see a lot of them presenting to the clinic.

“We have disciplined psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers, and occupational health therapists coming in every Wednesday but we find out that most people sent to the wellness centre don’t even attend the clinic.

“So, I think with all this awareness and everything that has been going on, I think I will need the help of the first lady for us to have a kind of synergy between us and this foundation so that they can help even within the ministry to let people know what mental health is all about.”

At the event, 100 volunteers were trained on scientific methods of obtaining response on mental health status through the use of questionnaires.

The field event for the pilot study in Alimosho LGA will be held on April 28.

In his opening address, Adetokunbo Fabamwo, chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees, said the project seeks to achieve objectives in different areas including drug abuse, child abuse, child surgeries, among others.

“Mental health is just one. We are involved in stamping out drug abuse, child abuse, in tending to the need of widows and in ensuring that babies who need surgeries get them done without paying,” he said.

“But two weeks ago, we said we will first concentrate on mental health. The first step is moving into communities and assessing the mental health status of our people, identify the mental health needs, and bring help in a timely manner.”

In her remarks, Ibijoke said full health cannot be discussed in isolation of mental health.

She commended the foundation for the project while urging volunteers to ensure that the purpose of the campaign is achieved.

“MHADE in Lagos initiative is a step in the right direction towards gathering the necessary data to aid planning and help create awareness on early signs of mental health in the community,” she said.

“We need this data so we can make informed decision to support the six pillars of development in THEMES, especially health.”