Jan. 17, 2022

Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Ministry of Health, is set to hold a mental health conference geared towards drawing attention to the importance of a multi-sectoral approach to providing improved mental health interventions for citizens.

In a series of tweets on Monday, the State government noted that the conference is also organised to chart a positive and realistic course towards mental, social health assets and infrastructures needed in the State.

The conference themed: “Responding to the Mental Health Needs of a 21st Century Megacity”, is scheduled to hold at Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, 18th January 2022.

State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the Conference is an offshoot of the Livable City Conference held in 2013,which led to the enactment of the Mental Health Law of 2019 and the proposed establishment of a State-owned tertiary psychiatric hospital, amongst others.

The Commissioner noted that the conference will be a forum and platform for key Government Ministries and Agencies, Healthcare Professionals, Private Sector, Civil Society Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations to discuss prevailing issues in Mental Health, identify opportunities and areas for collaboration, as well as professional networking in the Mental Health sub-sector.

He added that the outlined objectives of the conference include highlighting the growing scourge of Mental Health issues in Lagos State and providing a forum for dialogue amongst academics, decision-makers, policy implementers and the society.

Other conference objectives are providing a platform for all stakeholders to identify opportunities for strengthening investments towards a sustainable and collaborative mental health strategy in the State; displaying the achievements and strategic interventions that have been employed in implementing the Lagos State Mental Health Policy, as well as proffering and harmonising multi-sectoral recommendations in tackling the mental and social health needs of Lagos as an urban State.

Abayomi said the State government, through the plenary engagements of the mental health conference, intends to motivate and stimulate improved investments in mental health from the private sector and donor agencies.

He added that government will through the conference demonstrate to the international community, Lagos’ unequivocal commitment to Mental Healthcare and create a potential for global collaborations.