A don, Prof. Monday Igwe, has called on federal and state governments to appropriate more funds to contain the increasing challenges of mental health.

Igwe, Medical Director, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, made the call on Sunday while speaking on the need to increase the capacity for treating mental health patients.

According to him, this is the time for government at all levels, non-governmental organizations, philanthropists and everyone to invest in mental healthcare.

Igwe, who is a professor of psychiatric medicine, said: “Presently, there are eight Federal Government funded psychiatric hospitals and about 350 psychiatrists in the country taking care of the teeming population of 200 million Nigerians.

“This is grossly inadequate. Also, most state governments have no psychiatric facilities or mental health personnel in their employ.

“And where there are facilities, they are sited in towns and people in the rural areas do not have easy access to them.

“Other mental health workers are also inadequate such as clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, psychiatric nurses and social workers.

“This shortage of manpower in mental health is made worse by migration outside the country by medical workers for better pay,” he said.

The don said there was need to build more mental health facilities, train personnel and provide working materials for mental health professionals.

Igwe called for the encouragement of mental health workers with better remuneration to reduce migration to foreign countries as their services were even more needed in the country.

According to him, these measures when put in place will go a long way to enhancing overall quality of life of Nigerians.

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“Everyone everywhere should take concrete actions in support of one’s own mental health, and to support friends and family members who are struggling with some form of mental challenge or ill-health.

“Employers should take steps towards putting programmes in place for employee’s wellness and sound mind; while as journalists, there is a need to increase awareness about mental health issues,” he said.