By Olusegun Olanrewaju
Suicide rates are increasing in Nigeria and the trend is being blamed on an acute shortage of trained psychiatrists, among other issues relating to mental health delivery challenges, including patient apathy.
According to a recent online publication by the Cambridge University Press in the United Kingdom, Nigeria only has 250 specialist psychiatrists in a country of over 200 million people.
In the last few days, attention has been drawn to the disturbing aspect of healthcare delivery, exacerbated by the recent committal of suicide by a former company executive, Nick Imudia, the CEO of the online distributive network, Konga.
Fears are being expressed, though on a muted note, that a case of one-week-one-or-more deaths is being registered, due to facility shortages.
The report by the Cambridge University journals entitled ‘Mental Health Challenges in Nigeria: Bridging the gap between demand and resources’, addressed the shortage of mental health professionals, particularly psychiatrists, and the factors influencing medical students’ hesitation to pursue psychiatry as a career path.
It unearthed the multifaceted difficulties in Nigeria’s mental health environment using various sources, including research studies and statistical data.
It discovered that the scarcity of psychiatrists, with only 250 for a population of 200 million, “underscores the urgent need for attention to mental health within the country.”
It identified such factors as brain drain, inadequate learning infrastructure, limited research exposure, and insufficient health coverage, as contributing to the crisis.
It also identified societal stigma and financial constraints as discouraging factors that hinder students from pursuing psychiatry as a career.
Significant topics on mental health challenges in Nigeria, focusing on the shortage of mental health professionals, particularly psychiatrists, and the factors influencing medical students’ hesitation to pursue psychiatry as a career path, have often been an object of intense debates and academic exercises.
The Cambridge report outlined, “We examine the multifaceted difficulties in Nigeria’s mental health environment using various sources, including research studies and statistical data.
“The scarcity of psychiatrists, with only 250 for a population of 200 million, underscores the urgent need for attention to mental health within the country.
“Factors such as brain drain, inadequate learning infrastructure, limited research exposure, and insufficient health coverage contribute to this crisis.
“Additionally, societal stigma and financial constraints discourage students from pursuing psychiatry as a career.
“To address these challenges comprehensively, we propose a holistic approach that involves cross-disciplinary collaboration, robust mental health education in all healthcare programs, community-based awareness initiatives, and transdisciplinary teamwork among mental health providers.
“We highlight the importance of mentorship, scholarships, and national advocacy to encourage more individuals to enter the mental health profession, emphasising the need for diversity and inclusiveness.
“Furthermore, our paper stresses the significance of research and innovation in advancing mental health treatment and inspiring passion for mental health among students and aspiring professionals.
“By embracing this comprehensive set of recommendations, we aim to cultivate a diverse, talented, and compassionate workforce capable of effectively addressing Nigeria’s pressing mental health challenges.”
*Shock trails tragic death of former Konga CEO, unknown lady in Warri
Needless to say, Imudia’s death has tragically left the technology and business community in particular in shock, and the nation in general in bewilderment.
Efforts to explain the cause of the tragedy have now unearthed, in plain terms, that as big as Nigeria is, there are only 250 specialist psychiatrists in a country of 200 million people.
Experts are raising the alarm that, even though in terms of land mass and population, Nigeria ranks among the most notable countries in the world, the nation needs a whole range of overhauls to contain the issues arising from mental challenges, especially its terminal dosage of suicide.
Statistics indicate that about 80 per cent of people in Nigeria with severe mental health needs are unable to obtain care, ‘’which is primarily attributable to the country’s stigma and negative social attitudes toward mental health issues as well as a lack of facilities, resources, and mental health professionals.’’
Factors readily cited as causes of the mental health challenge in Nigeria, according to experts, surround acute shortage of personnel; Inadequate learning infrastructure; Inadequate research exposure; Utilisation of mental health services, among others.
Before his shocking self-termination, the late Imudia was a prominent figure in the African e-commerce sector.
He was particularly known for his role as Co-CEO of Konga, Nigeria’s leading e-commerce platform, where he had been operating since April 2018, following the company’s acquisition by Zinox Technologies.
Before his untimely death, upward-moving Konga, under Imudia’s leadership, had been credited with the success of transitioning from a struggling entity to a profitable enterprise.
This was largely attributed to the corporate whizkid’s prowess in upscaling business, having been trained in various top institutions in Europe, particularly in the Nordic -Finland and Denmark.
Since Imudia’s demise, the business community has been left in mourning, with many expressing their condolences and reflecting on his significant impact on the tech industry in Africa.
Reports said that Imudia killed himself on the night of Tuesday, June 25, by jumping from the balcony of his Lekki, Lagos apartment.
Post-Konga, Imudia, until his death, was the CEO of D. Light, a company that specialises in the distribution and financing of residential solar energy solutions and transformational household products.
Shortly before his death, he was said to have had what was termed a ‘prescient conversation’ with his brother in the United States, “in which he provided instructions on how to allocate his assets in the event of his passing, revealing a sense of foreboding.”
The deceased was also said to have held a heartfelt conversation with his young daughter from a previous relationship, “reassuring her that he would always be present in her life.”
According to reports, “He poignantly told her that whenever she gazed up at the sky, he would be watching over her.”
*The Warri incident
Similarly, over the weekend, death came calling on another note of suicide, this time, in the oil city of Warri, in Delta State, where an unidentified lady allegedly jumped to her death from the Ekpan flyover in the Uvwie Local Government Area.
Confirming the incident, state police spokesman, Bright Edafe, said before the police got there, the lady’s corpse had already been removed.
Edafe said, “We heard of the incident, but before our men got there, they took the corpse of the woman away.”
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses said the thirty-something-year-old screamed that she was tired of life.
“What made that particular act of suicide disgusting, a source told our correspondent, was that it was, perhaps, the first time you see heartless people filming or videoing a suicide scene. Instead of helping out, they were busy filming, oh, my God!”
In another report, another man, identified as Onoh Chukwuma Richard, was reported to have taken his life after losing N2.5m to betting.
The incident, which was said to have taken place in Umuahia, the Abis State capital, occurred when the man took his own life “because he could not bear the shame and pressure from those he borrowed money from.”
Meanwhile, before taking his own life, a drama was reportedly recorded, Onoh was alleged to have posted on his Facebook page that he was going to meet his maker.
In reaction to the death of Imudia on Saharareporters post, a responder identified as ‘Senator D’ wrote, in the wake of the Delta episodes,
‘Nigerians are stressed, left-right-centre. The repressive and inhuman regime under APC has further compounded the mental and health challenges of the people.
“Mental health is a usually overlooked health issue in Nigeria. Things are stressing Nigerians. May God Almighty help Nigerians.
Another, who identified himself as ‘Plato’, wrote, “Sad. Mental health challenge most likely. Mental health is not given adequate attention in Nigeria. No open forum for people facing this challenge to freely discuss it and access needed medical help. Perhaps due to a stigma it attracts because of the country’s environment. Huge loss for his family.
Also, Ekwuoma Int. Media Engineering wrote of the Imudia tragedy, “While I read and saw his name, I thought he was Bini/Edo until I saw he was from Ika/Agbor in Delta State. It is always very dicey when Igbo people say that Ika/Anioma, Delta indigenes are Igbos. They are not. Conduct a DNA test for Delta people, the result would be more of Binis than anything else.”
Also reacting on the social media handle, ‘X’, a Dr Chris Ekwuoma of Int. Media Engineering posted, on a sympathetic note:
“I am not religious, superstitious, or delusional. I have no limit while learning or imparting knowledge to others. Life is full of options, no one should kill themselves. It hurts me on the inside when people take their own lives.
“What could be the reason? Was he seriously indebted money-wise, is it a marital or courtship problem, did he catch HIV AIDS or suchlike?”
*Contributing factors
Worldwide, experts acknowledge that, of truth, mental health challenges are on the rise in Nigeria. They even agree that the country is facing a mental health emergency, contributory factors of which include a severe shortage of psychiatrists, ‘’with only 250 in the entire country’’.
Others include the draining factors of brain drain of healthcare workers, and limited knowledge and capacity to handle mental disorders, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
Also identified as contributory factors to increased suicide are stigma and negative social attitudes toward mental health issues, inadequate facilities, resources, and mental health professionals;
Specifically in Nigeria, experts identified the causes of multiple suicides in Nigeria including the activities of criminal banditry and insurgents, such as those of such groups as Boko Haram.
The country, records show, has been plagued by more than a decade of violence by the jihadist group, Boko Haram, which has reportedly displaced more than two million people and killed more than 40,000 at its peak before the outset of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
According to reports, Boko Haram has repeatedly deployed young women and girls to carry out suicide attacks which has led to the deaths and maiming of many.
*WHO: Country standing at forefront of mental health challenges
Experts have estimated that the issue of the jumping rate of suicide is not peculiar to Nigeria. They, however, observed that, across the globe, ‘’there is a growing recognition of the significance of mental health and the field of psychiatry within medical specialties’’.
The World Health Organisation estimates that, in 2017, ‘’approximately 450 million people grapple with mental illnesses, and an estimated 25 per cent of the world’s population will encounter mental health challenges at some point.’’
It added, ‘’Furthermore, mental disorders contribute to approximately 7 per cent of the global health burden, impacting nearly 19 per cent of individuals with disabilities.
By 2019, it was discovered that ‘’this heightened awareness has led to widespread initiatives encompassing awareness campaigns, advocacy rallies, the establishment of non-governmental organisations, expansion of hospital facilities, the dedication of passionate professionals and governmental interventions, all aimed at fortifying the support system for mental health and psychiatry.
“However, while many regions have embraced this progress, certain parts of the world lag, with Nigeria notably standing at the forefront of this challenge,” it added.
Also considered to be of utmost importance is the scope of addressing mental health, ‘’which extends beyond psychiatrists alone’’.
The report said, “A multifaceted approach necessitates the involvement of various healthcare professionals, including social workers, psychologists, community health experts, occupational therapists, mental health pharmacists, counsellors, and community support workers.
“The factors influencing mental health are wide-ranging, encompassing familial, social, economic, environmental, and more (World Health Organization, 2022). Therefore, effective mental health care and management demand a holistic approach extending beyond the confines of hospital walls.
“In contemporary Nigeria, addressing mental health challenges requires a collective effort, engaging individuals and platforms at the grassroots level, with interventions spanning sectors such as education, transportation, welfare, housing and beyond (World Health Organization, 2022).
