The Ogun State Government has raised alarm over the rising fee of psychological well being sufferers, saying that the burden is actual and rising, simply because it recorded over 10,000 affected person throughout the first six months of 2025.

The Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker said this whereas briefing newsmen as a part of actions to commemorate the 12 months 2025 World Mental Health Day, held on the ministry’s convention room, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

DAILY POST experiences that October tenth is a day put aside to lift consciousness, strengthen dedication and commemorate the World Mental Health Day, with the 12 months’s celebration themed, “Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies”.

Coker who was represented by her Permanent Secretary, Dr Oladehinde Kayode, revealed that the information gotten from the 4 service factors in Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Ilaro, and Ota confirmed that just about 1,000 had been new sufferers, whereas others had been follow-ups.

She asserted that the federal government can’t handle the problem by itself and urged employers to determine supportive work environments that foster psychological well being, households to create secure areas for open conversations, whereas spiritual and neighborhood leaders to make use of their platforms to evangelise for compassion and entry to care.

The commissioner reassured struggling residents that they aren’t alone and that the federal government is ready and prepared to supply help, stating that along with destroying infrastructure and livelihoods, pure disasters together with illness outbreaks, insecurity, and conflicts, amongst different issues, additionally depart deep psychological scars.

She stated, “In Nigeria, greater than 90% of individuals residing with psychological sickness shouldn’t have entry to correct care. Mental well being is just not a privilege, it’s a basic human proper. In Ogun State, the burden of psychological well being is actual and rising.

“Data from our 4 service factors, Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Ilaro, and Ota present that in simply the primary half of 2025, we recorded over 10,000 affected person visits and almost 1,000 had been new sufferers, whereas others had been follow-ups, reflecting the continual nature of those situations. The prime situations had been psychosis, neurosis, epilepsy, melancholy, and substance use issues .

“During such crises, folks face trauma, stress, melancholy, anxiousness, substance abuse, and in some instances suicidal ideas. Sadly, most of these affected are unable to entry care as a result of restricted providers, stigma, and value obstacles”.

“There is not any well being with out psychological well being particularly in instances of catastrophes and Emergencies and as we mark World Mental Health Day 2025, allow us to be reminded that the federal government is dedicated to constructing a state the place psychological well being providers are accessible, reasonably priced, and acceptable to all”.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Health within the ministry, Dr. Kayode Soyinka, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Deborah Osisanwo, said that the state have inaugurated a 26- man psychological well being committee saddled with the duty of elevating consciousness, and mobilizing communities towards psychological well being entry.

The committee is to be chaired by Dr. Olajide Abayomi, a advisor psychiatrist on the Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta, with different members chosen from throughout varied MDAs and businesses within the state.