A Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Veronica Nyamali, has called for the adoption of a task shifting and task sharing strategy to bridge the treatment gap in the delivery of mental health services across Nigeria.
Nyamali, also the Vice-President of the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria (APN), made the appeal in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Lagos.
She noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends task shifting and task sharing to improve access to healthcare services, particularly in remote areas.
“With a task shifting strategy, Community Health Officers (CHOs) and Accredited Social Health Activists can use community-based assessment checklists to identify individuals at risk of communicable, non-communicable, and mental health disorders,” she explained.
She added that CHOs would ensure continuity of care through regular follow-up, effectively bridging the gap between diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions.
Nyamali emphasized the need for mental health professionals to collaborate with and train CHOs for effective service delivery. She also called for the integration of mental health services into primary healthcare so that rural communities can access care.
“This approach will help bridge the gap between diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders, ensuring people at the grassroots have access to care. Integrating mental health into primary healthcare will facilitate earlier detection and treatment,” she said.
The psychiatrist lamented the treatment gap in mental healthcare across Nigeria, noting that services are largely inaccessible outside urban areas.
“There is a significant disparity in the level of treatment and care received by people with mental health conditions in Nigeria. The burden of mental health disorders, alongside other non-communicable diseases, is particularly heavy in rural and remote regions,” she said.
Nyamali added that more than half of people with mental illnesses do not receive help, often due to stigma, prejudice, and fears of losing jobs or livelihoods.
“It is the duty of CHOs and community-based nurses to educate rural dwellers about mental health. Ensuring continued access to treatment and care is critical, as neglecting mental and emotional wellbeing can lead to long-term social and economic costs,” she said.
She therefore called for the establishment of mental healthcare facilities in grassroots communities, highlighting that many mental illnesses occur in rural areas and require accessible local interventions.
