Thread by @Mr_JAGs

FLASH: Lagos State Government has launched a mental health helpline tagged ‘The Lagos Lifeline’; which is a tele-Mental Health service that provides Lagos residents with access to psychosocial support, counselling and psychotherapy services FREE OF CHARGE through 0909000646.

Speaking today at the formal launch of the facility, the Commissioner for Health, @ProfAkinAbayomi said the Lagos Lifeline is a Mental Health Crisis Management service designed to bridge the gap in the availability of mental health service. @LagosMiND

“The Lagos Lifeline provides a bridge to meet various challenges militating against access to mental health services including, the incidence of suicidal attempts, poor access to mental health services for patients in hard-to-reach areas,” - @ProfAkinAbayomi

“.. Stigma to Mental Health Issues and patients who need treatment, poor access to information and referral to neighboring health facilities providing mental health services and poor linkages for mental health support for victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence”,

He noted that the objective of the Lagos Lifeline is geared towards providing improved access to simple diagnostic, counselling, and referral services for Lagosians, either as first point-of-call, or for follow-up care.

While stating that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr @jidesanwoolu has made mental health a priority, the Commissioner averred that de this is evident in government’s implementation activities targeted at increasing access to mental health care ...

... at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health infrastructure.

@ProfAkinAbayomi disclosed that the State Government has conceptualized a Mental Health Institute with a capacity for 500 bed psychiatric hospital ...

.... and 1000 bed rehabilitation Centre at Ketu Ejirin in furtherance of its efforts to improve access to mental health services.

“It was originally scheduled to be built in Majidun but it will be too big for Majidun, so we had to move it to Ketu-Ejirin where we have a lot of space. It is going to be on 15 hectares of land, we are currently reclaiming the lands”

“We have appointed the contractors, work will start this year and it will become the focal point of our mental health strategy where we will provide Lagosians with access to mental health services and train persons who are skilled in recognizing and treating mental health”.

The Commissioner hinted that the state government will expend resources to address mental health issues particularly as it affects emerging issues of stress, anxiety, stigmatization and mental health disorders associated with a mega city like Lagos.

While noting that mental health is one of the disciplines in health that has been neglected, Abayomi averred that the present administration is trying to make up by investing in infrastructure and human resource development to manage and address mental health issues.

“So while we plan to commemorate this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month in May, we will keep going with a lot of energy. We will ensure that we develop the human resources that are able to manage mental disorders, ...

....more importantly create the opportunity to detect tell-tale science very early and treat them before they become serious problems, and at the end, just making life easier for Lagosians will go a long way to easing mental disorder, mental stress and mental anxiety”, he said.

*0909 000 6463