The Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), managers of Ireti Resource Centre, has sensitised 50 stakeholders on mental health in Lagos.
The group’s Team Lead, Bose Ironsi, disclosed this during a validation meeting for mental health research on Thursday in Elomaz Hotel, Maryland, Ikeja.
Ironsi said the research covered five local government areas, focusing on public awareness and understanding of mental health issues.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from health, justice, education, police, rehabilitation homes, religious organisations, CPN and youth groups.
Ironsi said WRAHP’s experience supporting survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence highlighted the need for stronger mental health awareness.
“Whether people even understand what mental health is all about, and if they understand, do they know what to do?” she asked.
Ironsi said stakeholders also needed to understand reporting pathways, available services and how to access appropriate support across Lagos State.
She said WRAHP would engage relevant stakeholders to strengthen awareness while simplifying Lagos State’s mental health law for wider public understanding.
“What we are doing now is simplifying the legal law; luckily, Lagos State has a mental health law,” Ironsi said.
She urged people not to wait until mental health challenges became severe before seeking help or encouraging affected persons to access support.
The research consultant, Prof. Mary Obiyan, said many people failed to recognise mental health challenges before they became severe.
Obiyan said mental health involved a person’s brain, reasoning ability and capacity to function appropriately.
“Although the height of it is when we now see the person being mad, a lot of people face mental health issues before that,” she said.
She said challenges could range from stress and anxiety to depression, adding that people needed greater awareness of mental health laws.
Obiyan also urged vulnerable people to speak up, saying societal attitudes often discouraged individuals from discussing mental health challenges.
She called for coordinated action by concerned organisations to ensure affected persons received appropriate support without stigma or discrimination.
Mrs Ronke Oyelakin of the Child Protection Network said trained stakeholders were ready to support efforts promoting mental wellness.
Oyelakin said people needed to know where mental health services were available across the state and access support promptly.
“There’s always a place near you that you could receive service support if you have any mental health issues,” she said.
She said mental health challenges should not be treated as stigma, urging religious leaders to use their platforms to promote awareness.
Oyelakin, however, said awareness remained low, making stronger community-level sensitisation necessary across Lagos.
