The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has lamented the worsening economic situation in Nigeria, which has contributed to increased mental health cases in the country.
Obi stated this in his message as Nigeria joined the global community on Thursday to commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day.
In a post on his X handle, he noted that mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves in Nigeria.
His post reads partly,”In Nigeria, mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves.
“The worsening economic situation resulting from hunger, poverty, and income inequalities in the country, coupled with other socio-political issues affecting the nation, have continued to fuel a growing menace of mental health cases.
“The National Institute of Health reports that about 40 to 60 million Nigerians suffer various forms of mental ailment.
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“This translates to about 1 in every 5 Nigerians, battling with mental health issues. Suicide cases in the country, fueled by anxiety and depression, have remained on the increase.
“It is reported that Nigeria has one of the highest rates of suicide and depression in Sub-Saharan Africa. The current rate of suicide in Nigeria is 9.50% out of 100,000 people.
“Drug abuse is also another contributor to mental health decadence in our society. According to reports, an estimated 14.3 million people aged between 15 and 64 years in Nigeria, are addicted to drugs and substance abuse.
“Nigeria is also ranked 3rd most stressful country in the world, which contributes to different mental illnesses in the nation.
“The above grim statistics reflect the lack of attention given to mental health, a critical contributor to national development in our society.
” A nation that truly wants to improve its productive capacity must pay attention to the health of its citizens,” Obi added.
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