Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Neurosciences, Drug and Alcohol Abuse on the University of Ibadan, Emeritus Professor Oye Gureje, has referred to as for pressing reforms in psychological healthcare, demanding shorter clinic ready occasions, extra inexpensive medicines and therapy, improved hospital services and larger affected person involvement in therapy selections.
Gureje made the decision on the 2026 World Mental Health Day Symposium organised by the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, with the theme, “Building Person-Centred Mental Health Services”.
In his opening handle as chairman of the event, he mentioned psychological well being providers should be organised across the wants, dignity and preferences of sufferers fairly than the comfort of healthcare suppliers.
He pressured that person-centred care required greater than diagnosing sicknesses and prescribing medicines, saying that it additionally concerned listening to sufferers, speaking with empathy, respecting their preferences and making certain that they participated meaningfully in selections about their therapy.
Gureje famous that psychological misery might have an effect on anybody, making it crucial for psychological well being providers to be accessible, responsive and compassionate.
Delivering a lecture titled “Building Person-Centred Mental Health Services”, a senior lecturer within the Department of Psychiatry, Dr Olatunde Ayinde, mentioned sufferers should be handled as companions of their care, not passive recipients {of professional} selections.
He emphasised the precept of “nothing for us without us”, explaining that healthcare professionals ought to hearken to sufferers’ experiences, clarify out there therapy choices and contain them in selections about their care.
Ayinde recognized insufficient funding, poor infrastructure, shortages of psychological well being professionals and the migration of expert personnel as main limitations to delivering person-centred psychological healthcare.
He mentioned sufferers might disengage from therapy when providers failed to handle the broader circumstances affecting their lives, together with household relationships, funds, housing, cultural beliefs and social help.
According to him, efficient psychological healthcare should recognise these elements fairly than focus solely on signs and diagnoses.
He referred to as on authorities, healthcare establishments, practitioners and repair customers to work collectively to enhance funding, strengthen affected person empowerment and shield the human rights of individuals residing with psychological well being situations.
The Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Professor Victor Lasebikan, additionally pressured the necessity to hearken to sufferers’ lived experiences and sort out the stigma related to psychological sickness.
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He mentioned the rising recognition of psychiatry in Nigeria, throughout Africa and internationally, notably in little one and adolescent psychological well being, ought to encourage larger affected person participation within the design and supply of psychological well being providers.
Lasebikan maintained that individuals receiving psychological healthcare ought to have alternatives to precise their considerations and contribute to selections affecting their therapy and restoration.
The Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, represented by the Deputy Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Sesan Oluwasola, referred to as for a extra compassionate and inclusive method to healthcare.
He mentioned sufferers must be recognised as folks with relationships, aspirations and particular person circumstances, fairly than being outlined solely by their diagnoses.
Oluwasola reiterated that “there is no health without mental health”, stressing the necessity to enhance entry to providers, promote early intervention and supply enough help for caregivers.
He mentioned psychological well being ought to obtain the identical degree of consideration as bodily well being, including that individuals experiencing psychological well being situations shouldn’t face discrimination in accessing care.
The Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Temidayo Ogundiran, referred to as for stronger relationships between medical doctors and sufferers, noting that belief and efficient communication have been central to good healthcare outcomes.
He cited the shut rapport typically established between conventional natural practitioners and their shoppers for instance of the significance of private relationships in healthcare.
Ogundiran mentioned the ideas of person-centred care have been related past psychiatry and must be utilized throughout medical specialities, together with most cancers care, the place sufferers additionally wanted to be heard, revered and concerned in selections about their therapy.
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