March 20, (THEWILL)- The Borno State Government, in collaboration with the World Bank under the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP), has trained 60 medical workers on mental health and psychosocial support.
The Chief Medical Director of Borno State Health Management Board, Prof. Abubakar Kullima, disclosed this during a 5-day intensive training organised by MCRP for medical and health workers at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri.
Prof. Kullima, represented by the Director of Medical Services, Dr Idris Ali Usman, expressed gratitude to the Borno State Government and its partner, the MCRP, for conceiving and actualising the training programme in the best interest of the people of Borno and humanity at large.
He said the training was timely given the large number of people suffering from psychological trauma, occasioned by exposure to some gruesome activities of the 14 years of Boko Haram insurgency.
The CMD, who said the training is aimed at integrating mental health and psychosocial support into core medical care, advocated the inclusion of mental health and psychosocial support in the curriculum of colleges of health education as well as quarterly training of workers.
“The training wouldn’t have come at a better time than now in view of the large number of the people who suffer psychological trauma, occasioned by exposure to some gruesome activities of the Boko Haram insurgents, who in turn resort to medical workers at primary, secondary and tertiary [health facilities] as the first point of contact.
“It is imperative and vital to consider integrating mental health and psychosocial support components into mainstream medical practice to enable them to give the best treatment,” Prof. Abubakar said.
Also speaking, the Director of the centre, Dr Falmata Baba-Shettima, enjoined participants to be serious about the training in view of its importance to human health and socioeconomic development.
“Management of trauma is central to human health and well-being because this is the first time such training is taking place in the state for health personnel.
“It is a known fact that 25 percent of people seeking medical services suffer from trauma, hence its importance,” she said.
The lead Resource Person, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu Mshelia, said mental health accounts for 13 percent of the global burden of diseases, adding that people with such conditions do not get treatment for one reason or the other despite the existence of effective treatment.
Dr. Ibrahim said 70 to 90 percent of the people with mental health issues do not get treatment due to a lack of enough mental health doctors, distance to health facilities, poverty, ignorance, stigma and resistance to orthodox treatment due to some traditional beliefs.
Another resource person, Dr. Asmau Chibadu Dahiru, said the training will also spur medical personnel to know more about mental health for proper identification, management, referral and treatment aside from knowing the causative agents.
Other resource persons also spoke at length on the causes of mental health issues, identification techniques, management processes and proper referral with minimal cost to the patient or relatives.
They also dwelt on how to identify mental health issues in children, and how best to manage or treat them without harm.
Speaking on behalf of their training groups, Dr Ogualiki Placy of General Hospital Marama and Dr Ishaku Dickson of Monguno General Hospital, described the training as insightful, timely and highly beneficial, hence the need for continuity and backup with mental health medical supplies.
I am Ladi Dapson, a general writer with thewill. I cover Borno and Yobe states respectively.
I based Maiduguri, Borno State Capital.
I can be reached via [email protected].
Very high and kind regards!
