By Onwa Ekor
Determined to bridge the gap between physical disability and mental well-being, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with Cross River government, with support from ANESVAD Foundation, recently launched the second phase of the Mental Healthcare for Persons affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases (mhCAP-NTDs) project.
Held in Calabar, the two-year project titled, “Strengthening Access to People-Centred Mental Healthcare for Persons Affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases,” targeted the high-burden Ogoja region in a bid to combat the psychological toll of chronic skin diseases and social exclusion with focus on improving care delivery while tackling stigma in endemic communities.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the National Coordinator of the National Mental Health Programme, Dr Ojo Tunde Massey Ferguson, said the initiative aims to expand access to mental health services for persons affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), particularly in Ogoja local government area which is considered as most endemic in the State.
He explained that the first phase, which lasted two years had addressed mental health challenges linked to NTDs, including stigma, poverty and untreated psychological conditions.
Pate added that the second phase would build on lessons from the pilot phase by concentrating efforts in Ogoja which is identified as a high-burden area for skin-related NTDs.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, represented by the Director of Public Health, Mr Patrick Odu, lauded the federal government and its partners for the initiative, describing the programme as impactful and forward-looking.
“This programme has been impactful right from the commencement till now. It is going to mitigate the impact of mental health challenges among people affected by neglected tropical diseases, especially onchocerciasis in Cross River,” Ayuk explained.
Representative of ANESVAD Foundation and funders of the initiative, Ms Cristina Juan Jimenez, said the organisation supported the continuation of the project due to its proven impact and Nigeria’s high burden of NTDs.
According to her, “we believe that we can continue doing research here in Nigeria and we would like this research project to impact national programmes and policies,” pointing out that, Ogoja was selected due to high endemicity of diseases such as buruli ulcer, leprosy and lymphatic filariasis.
Country Director, CBM Global Disability Inclusion in Nigeria, Mr Abdulaziz Musa, highlighted the synergy between NTDs, disability and poverty, stressing the importance of a holistic, people-centred model.
He reasoned that, “the goal is to pilot a model that puts the person at the centre of treatment, not just giving drugs but addressing socio-economic factors, stigma and livelihoods.”
National Coordinator, Resilience for Impact on Community Health Care, Amaka Onyima-Esmai, who spoke on behalf of persons affected by NTDs, stressed the importance of inclusion and co-creation in the project.
“There is nothing for us without us. This project was done with us, not for us,” she said, admitting that beneficiaries actively participated in designing interventions during the first phase.
She identified stigma as a major driver of mental health challenges among affected persons and called for stronger interventions in the second phase.
The mhCAP-NTDs Phase 2 project, is being implemented through a partnership involving the Federal Ministry of Health, Cross River government, with funding from ANESVAD Foundation, supported by CBM Global Disability Inclusion, RedAid Nigeria, HANDS, University of Jos, The Leprosy Mission Nigeria, Impact Groups, among others, with a focus on integrating mental health services into existing NTD programmes.
