October 12, 2024

Advancing Mental Health in Nigeria: Delivering Key Milestones and Advocacy as LifeLine International Honorary Global Patron on World Mental Health Day

October 12, 2024

Advancing Mental Health in Nigeria: Delivering Key Milestones and Advocacy as LifeLine International Honorary Global Patron on World Mental Health Day

I was delighted to commence my duties as LifeLine International Honorary Global Patron, in delivering my Goodwill Keynote Address and outlining important milestones at the concluding ceremony of the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health’s 4-day National Mental Health Technical Working Group Sessions, on World Mental Health Day, Thursday 10th October 2024.

These sessions, which commenced on Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th of October, with a 2-Day National Conversation on the decriminalisation of attempted suicide, and a 1-Day National Mental Health Technical Working Group Meeting, attended by the Wellbeing Foundation Africa’s Policy & Advocacy Teams, reached a high-level conclusion with the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health National Mental Health Programme’s Commemoration of World Mental Health Day, during which included the launching of Nigeria’s Contextualised 2024 MHGAP 3.0 Report.

I expressed my commendation and appreciation that the Federal Ministry of Health under the determined leadership of the Honourable Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, both represented by the Permanent Secretary Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health, is committed to transforming the mental health landscape in Nigeria, achieving this through the implementation of critical policy documents, and promoting appropriate legislative basis for transformation through engaging with the Senate Committee on Health.

I deeply and respectfully appreciate the confidence respectively reposed in my humble advocacy leadership of focused contributory and supportive efforts to achieve this united goal, and the progress we have recorded together with TWG Stakeholders since this crucial work commenced with the Launch of Nigeria’s Mental Health Strategy and Suicide Prevention Framework in November 2023.

 

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