Lagos State Commissioner Raises Alarm Over Shortage of Mental Health Doctors and Hospital Beds

(Professor Akin Abayomi. Photo by Channels Tv)
Lagos State says Nigeria does not have enough specialists or facilities to treat mental illness.

The state wants more focus on prevention, especially for young people.

Health Commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi made the remarks at a mental health summit held online on Friday.

He was represented by the Director of Special Projects and Mental Health at the state Ministry of Health.

He said more young people are now willing to talk openly about their mental health.

That is a good sign, he said, but it has to be matched with proper support and information that fits Nigerian life.

"We don't have enough beds to manage mental illnesses.

We don't have enough specialists to manage mental illnesses.

Even when you expand the number of providers, it will still not be enough to match the bodies," he said.

He warned that much of what young people read online comes from other countries and may not match their own reality.

He gave the example of a 10-year-old in Yaba compared with a 10-year-old in California.

He also said too much screen time can shape how young people see themselves.

Abayomi said some children are growing up without enough knowledge of their own surroundings.

He said parents, schools and other institutions need to guide them in a way that fits Nigerian society.

He stressed that young people need help to build resilience and cope with hard times.

He also said there is a difference between poor mental health and a mental illness.

Poor mental health does not always mean someone has an illness, but it can make them more vulnerable to one.

He said the Lagos State Ministry of Health is committed to promoting mental health under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

He added that the public should be able to hold government agencies to account for their work in this area.