The Federal Government has established the National Taskforce on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide. The inauguration, which took place on Thursday, October 10, 2024, coincided with the World Mental Health Day. The primary goal of the Taskforce is the development of an action plan for the decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria and the aftermath.…
Mental health experts have called on the Federal Government to work towards the speedy implementation of the National Mental Health Act to ensure the well-being of individuals and society. The experts recently made this call during a virtual meeting organised by the Centre for Health Ethics Law and Development (CHELD), themed ‘Implementing the National Mental…
The House of Representatives Committee on Specialty Healthcare chaired by Hon. Dr. Alex Egbona held an interactive session with stakeholders on the need to prioritize and implement the provisions of the Mental Health Act to tackle suicide and suicidality in Nigeria. Stakeholders from the government, neuropsychiatric hospitals, professional associations, the development sector, and civil society…
The recent tragic incident involving the suicide of 32-year-old banker Amarachi Ugochukwu has brought to light the pressing need for increased awareness and action regarding mental health issues, particularly within the workplace. The distressing note left by Amarachi included concerns about the state of the economy and the resultant hardship she was facing as well…
Introduction The ability to lead happy lives is intricately tied to our mental health, a vital component of human well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act daily. It also influences our relationships, productivity, and overall quality of life.[1] Unfortunately, mental health issues are a global concern,[2] and one of the gravest consequences of…
On the 27th of October, in observance of World Mental Health Day, CHELD held its mental health webinar titled “Mental Health Right is Human Right: A Discourse on the National Mental Health Right” The first speaker Dr. Ojo, the Coordinator of the National Mental Health Programme at the Federal Ministry of Health spoke on the…
As part of its activities to mark the 2023 World Mental Health Day, CHELD organised an interactive session with students of Kuramo Senior College, VI to teach them the importance of balancing their academic demands with their mental well-being. Some of the topics covered during the session include: overview of mental health, its myths,…
CHELD was at Bankys Private School to talk with secondary school students about mental health care and how to balance academic demands and their mental needs. About 100 students actively participated in the meeting with some of their teachers in attendance. Nigeria bears the highest burden of depression among young people in Africa. The rate…
CHELD partnered with the students of the psychology department, University of Uyo to organise an awareness walk to celebrate World Mental Health Day. The purpose was to sensitise the students and the entire community on the importance of mental health to a person’s overall well-being. The walk commenced at the Department of Psychology and traversed…
On March 28th and 29th, the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with key stakeholders including the Centre for Health Ethics, Law, and Development (CHELD), convened a two-day workshop aimed at developing a National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework for Nigeria. The workshop was attended by mental health professionals, researchers, policymakers, and advocates who came together…