Nurses, Stakeholders Tasked On Mental Health Issues
BY ARCHIBONG EYO, CALABAR – Psychiatric Nurses and relevant stakeholders in the health sector have been challenged on education and advocacy programmes for the vulnerable groups in tackling mental health issues in Nigeria
They have also been charged to build human resource capacity and strong partnership that will effectively address existing and emerging problems associated with mental health nationwide.
Speaking when the executives of Association of Psychiatric Nurses of Nigeria (APNON), Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar visited her, Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong, who described mental health issues as a global problem, said more enlightenment and awareness creation are required for vulnerable groups in both urban and rural areas of the country.
Dr Asibong, who expressed the Health Ministry’s readiness to collaborate with the psychiatric nurses on their planned Scientific Conference; Annual General Meeting (AGM) and effective implementation of their programmes and activities.
The Commissioner sued for collaboration on the State’s Health Insurance Scheme, popularly tagged ‘AyadeCare’, which covers a wider spectrum of ailments to achieve the desired objective across the state.
Speaking during the visit, National Vice Chairman of APNON, Comrade Usang Usang appealed for cooperation from the State Government towards training nurses, other health workers and relevant stakeholders across the State on the approach and manner of handling people with mental illness.
Comrade Usang urged the government to incorporate the training proposals into the Cross River State Health System, maintaining that “it would be cost effective” and in the overall benefits of the State and its people.
Also speaking, State Chairman of the Association, Comrade Okon Asuquo said their forthcoming 12th National Scientific Conference and AGM will take place in Calabar from August 7-11, 2017 with the theme; Evidence Based Nursing Practice: A Panacea to Clinical Psychiatric Nursing Challenges in Nigeria”.
He said the Association would flag-off intensive advocacy and outreaches on mental health issues after the conference as paart of efforts aimed at reducing mental illness in the State.
The Chairman lauded Commissioner for her good works toward improving health care service delivery, stressing that there is manifest cordial working relationship with nurses in the State which has made health services in Cross River to be at par with other front-line States in the country.
