Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the Lagos house of assembly, has called for inter-sectoral collaboration to address the prevalence of mental health issues across the country.
Obasa spoke in Lagos on Tuesday at the seventh public lecture of the board of fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).
The event theme was ‘Mental health: A basic human right crucial to personal, community, and socio-economic development’.
Obasa described the theme as timely and globally relevant, saying, “we live in times where the mental health of individuals is increasingly becoming a matter of public concern globally”.
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He said mental health is crucial to personal and community development, noting that it is the foundation of personal growth and achievements.
“For our nation to thrive, we need citizens who are mentally sound and can contribute meaningfully to national development,” Obasa said.
“Socio-economic development is intertwined with mental health. A nation with a high burden of mental health disorders will undoubtedly suffer a decline in productivity, a decrease in the quality of life, and a strain on health resources.
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“It is important that we take collective responsibility to ensure that our communities are mentally healthy. As a nation, we must pay keen attention to mental health and integrate it into our public health policies.”
Obasa said professional bodies like the PSN are not collaborating enough with lawmakers to drive change.
“We must advocate for policies that promote mental health care, combat stigma, and support initiatives to enhance mental well-being,” he said.
“Together, we can ensure that mental health is recognised as a basic human right essential to personal, community, and socio-economic development.”
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Buba Marwa, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who was the special guest of honour, linked the rise in mental health issues to fake drugs and substance abuse.
He described mental health as a neglected aspect of public health and called for increased awareness and sensitisation programmes by the PSN.
