Dr Shehu Sale, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto State, has called for community sensitisation to raise awareness on psycho problems and effective management of mental health cases in the country.

Sale, a Consultant Psychiatrist, made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kware on Friday.


NEWSMedical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental healthPublished 9 hours ago on October 19, 2018 By Francis Belux
Psychiatrist - Medical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental health


Dr Shehu Sale, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto State, has called for community sensitisation to raise awareness on psycho problems and effective management of mental health cases in the country.

Sale, a Consultant Psychiatrist, made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kware on Friday.

He stressed the need for more outreaches, interactive sessions and public enlightenment on mental healthcare.

According to him, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the inclusion of mental health within general healthcare as well as into primary healthcare as the pragmatic means towards achieving successful health coverage.
“This is the only way we can ensure that everyone who needs mental health services can have access to the required services.
“Indeed, mental health has been the 9th pillar of primary healthcare (PHC) in Nigeria since 1991,’’ Sale said.

He advised stakeholders and healthcare professionals of all cadres to promote best practices, attributing substance abuse as a major risk factor for mental illness, especially among the youth.

He also stated that many diagnosable mental illnesses were prevalent in our communities, but are often not diagnosed or not given appropriate interventions.
“Thus many affected individuals and their families are suffering in silence; when they can benefit from effective treatment and recover from such conditions,’’ he added.


NEWSMedical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental healthPublished 9 hours ago on October 19, 2018 By Francis Belux
Psychiatrist - Medical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental health


Dr Shehu Sale, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto State, has called for community sensitisation to raise awareness on psycho problems and effective management of mental health cases in the country.

Sale, a Consultant Psychiatrist, made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kware on Friday.

He stressed the need for more outreaches, interactive sessions and public enlightenment on mental healthcare.

According to him, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the inclusion of mental health within general healthcare as well as into primary healthcare as the pragmatic means towards achieving successful health coverage.
“This is the only way we can ensure that everyone who needs mental health services can have access to the required services.
“Indeed, mental health has been the 9th pillar of primary healthcare (PHC) in Nigeria since 1991,’’ Sale said.

He advised stakeholders and healthcare professionals of all cadres to promote best practices, attributing substance abuse as a major risk factor for mental illness, especially among the youth.

He also stated that many diagnosable mental illnesses were prevalent in our communities, but are often not diagnosed or not given appropriate interventions.
“Thus many affected individuals and their families are suffering in silence; when they can benefit from effective treatment and recover from such conditions,’’ he added.

Sale explained that experts on mental disorders categorised cases in to mild, moderate and severe conditions, noting that the majority of the cases were mild to moderate conditions that can be easily treated, with only a small proportion suffering from severe conditions.

He said everyone was vulnerable to mental illness as research indicated that one out of every four persons would have one form of mental disorder in their lifetime.
He added that depression, anxiety, excessive worry, persistent physically unexplained pains, sleep problems, some sexual problems, significant forgetfulness and related disorders are all mental problems.

“Factors that contribute to mental illnesses include genetic, environmental, trauma, infections, abuse of drugs, poor parenting, stress and brain disorders as confirmed by scientific evidence,’’ Sale reiterated.

The Associate Professor and Master trainer with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) added that mental illness was treatable.



NEWSMedical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental healthPublished 9 hours ago on October 19, 2018 By Francis Belux
Psychiatrist - Medical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental health


Dr Shehu Sale, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto State, has called for community sensitisation to raise awareness on psycho problems and effective management of mental health cases in the country.

Sale, a Consultant Psychiatrist, made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kware on Friday.

He stressed the need for more outreaches, interactive sessions and public enlightenment on mental healthcare.

According to him, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the inclusion of mental health within general healthcare as well as into primary healthcare as the pragmatic means towards achieving successful health coverage.
“This is the only way we can ensure that everyone who needs mental health services can have access to the required services.
“Indeed, mental health has been the 9th pillar of primary healthcare (PHC) in Nigeria since 1991,’’ Sale said.

He advised stakeholders and healthcare professionals of all cadres to promote best practices, attributing substance abuse as a major risk factor for mental illness, especially among the youth.

He also stated that many diagnosable mental illnesses were prevalent in our communities, but are often not diagnosed or not given appropriate interventions.
“Thus many affected individuals and their families are suffering in silence; when they can benefit from effective treatment and recover from such conditions,’’ he added.

Sale explained that experts on mental disorders categorised cases in to mild, moderate and severe conditions, noting that the majority of the cases were mild to moderate conditions that can be easily treated, with only a small proportion suffering from severe conditions.

He said everyone was vulnerable to mental illness as research indicated that one out of every four persons would have one form of mental disorder in their lifetime.
He added that depression, anxiety, excessive worry, persistent physically unexplained pains, sleep problems, some sexual problems, significant forgetfulness and related disorders are all mental problems.

“Factors that contribute to mental illnesses include genetic, environmental, trauma, infections, abuse of drugs, poor parenting, stress and brain disorders as confirmed by scientific evidence,’’ Sale reiterated.

The Associate Professor and Master trainer with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) added that mental illness was treatable.



Accoridng to him, preventive techniques included promoting mental health hygiene, early identification and treatment, rehabilitation and abstinence from drug abuse.

He said stigma and discrimination of those with mental disorders are unfortunate barriers that stop them from seeking treatment or rehabilitation due to widespread cultural beliefs about their supernatural causes and ignorance that medical treatments work very well.

The medical director called for increased funding, as well as government and public attention on mental health issues, noting that the growing drug abuse epidemic and the association of disorders to supernatural causes are challenges to the effective administration of mental health services in our communities.

He attributed the prevalence of mental health cases to absence of synergy between institutional organs in the formal sector and traditional or religious healers, where most cases are often taken as the first point of call.


NEWSMedical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental healthPublished 9 hours ago on October 19, 2018 By Francis Belux
Psychiatrist - Medical Director canvasses more community awareness on mental health


Dr Shehu Sale, the Medical Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto State, has called for community sensitisation to raise awareness on psycho problems and effective management of mental health cases in the country.

Sale, a Consultant Psychiatrist, made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kware on Friday.

He stressed the need for more outreaches, interactive sessions and public enlightenment on mental healthcare.

According to him, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the inclusion of mental health within general healthcare as well as into primary healthcare as the pragmatic means towards achieving successful health coverage.
“This is the only way we can ensure that everyone who needs mental health services can have access to the required services.
“Indeed, mental health has been the 9th pillar of primary healthcare (PHC) in Nigeria since 1991,’’ Sale said.

He advised stakeholders and healthcare professionals of all cadres to promote best practices, attributing substance abuse as a major risk factor for mental illness, especially among the youth.

He also stated that many diagnosable mental illnesses were prevalent in our communities, but are often not diagnosed or not given appropriate interventions.
“Thus many affected individuals and their families are suffering in silence; when they can benefit from effective treatment and recover from such conditions,’’ he added.

Sale explained that experts on mental disorders categorised cases in to mild, moderate and severe conditions, noting that the majority of the cases were mild to moderate conditions that can be easily treated, with only a small proportion suffering from severe conditions.

He said everyone was vulnerable to mental illness as research indicated that one out of every four persons would have one form of mental disorder in their lifetime.
He added that depression, anxiety, excessive worry, persistent physically unexplained pains, sleep problems, some sexual problems, significant forgetfulness and related disorders are all mental problems.

“Factors that contribute to mental illnesses include genetic, environmental, trauma, infections, abuse of drugs, poor parenting, stress and brain disorders as confirmed by scientific evidence,’’ Sale reiterated.

The Associate Professor and Master trainer with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) added that mental illness was treatable.



Accoridng to him, preventive techniques included promoting mental health hygiene, early identification and treatment, rehabilitation and abstinence from drug abuse.

He said stigma and discrimination of those with mental disorders are unfortunate barriers that stop them from seeking treatment or rehabilitation due to widespread cultural beliefs about their supernatural causes and ignorance that medical treatments work very well.

The medical director called for increased funding, as well as government and public attention on mental health issues, noting that the growing drug abuse epidemic and the association of disorders to supernatural causes are challenges to the effective administration of mental health services in our communities.

He attributed the prevalence of mental health cases to absence of synergy between institutional organs in the formal sector and traditional or religious healers, where most cases are often taken as the first point of call.

Sale said the Kware mental facility has been repositioned with manpower development initiatives through training and retraining of staff, so that they can perform in line with best global practices.

“I ensured renovation of the post basic school of psychiatric nursing, and the regaining of accreditation for the Federal School of Post Basic Psychiatric Nursing.
“Other efforts include improvements in residency training, through employing more resident doctors and training them in line with the regulations of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and the West African College of Physicians.

This is aimed at improving service delivery to the community as well as train more specialists for the nation,’’ he said.

Sale added that the hospital has undergone renovation, equipment purchase and regular maintenance, while also enhancing collaboration with federal and state ministries, as well as relevant agencies, traditional institutions and philanthropists with a view to improving service delivery to the society.

The medical director stressed that his leadership ensure that the hospital was being repositioned for improved service delivery and community impact.