Psychiatrist Says Cost Limits Access To Mental Health Services

Dr Olufemi Oluwatayo, a Consultant Psychiatrist, says many Nigerians cannot access mental health services owing to high cost of care.

Oluwatayo said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday on the sidelines of World Mental Health Day celebration.

The psychiatrist ,Chief Executive Officer of Retreat Healthcare, Ikorodu,said patients pay exorbitantly to access care.

According to him ,high cost of care is keeping the disadvantaged and vulnerable away from health facilities.

Oluwatayo also said that the provision of mental health services was still grossly inadequate in Nigeria.

He said though a lot had improved over the years, the country was still a long way from where it should be in the provision of mental health services.

The consultant said it was a good thing that almost all Federal and State Teaching Hospitals as well as Federal Medical Centres have functional department of psychiatry.

The consultant said it was also good that a number of General Hospitals and private hospitals now provide mental health services.

He said that he was aware that a lot of efforts were being made to integrate mental health services into Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the country.

Oluwatayo described the development as significant progress ,saying it would boost provision of mental health services and broaden access to care.

Another psychiastrist , Dr Femi Olugbile, said that it was important for employers to promote and ensure mental wellness of their employees.

Olugbile said paying attention to employees’ mental health was important for the health of organisations and safety of the work environment.

The psychiatrist also advised Nigerians to pay attention to their mental health,saying “everyone is vulnerable”.