Nigeria-American Institute for Mental Health, Abuja office has concluded arrangements to implement the WHO MH-GAP training programme for primary health extension workers, social workers, nurses, schoolteachers, hospital staff and others in the local communities.
The training of the aforementioned critical workers would help in symptom identification of certain mental health conditions, manage the symptoms and/or refer serious cases to professional mental health providers.
Secretary, Board of Trustees, Nigerian American Institute for Mental Health, Dr Azubike Aliche at the weekend, further explained that the training and treatments would focus on depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, suicide ideation, and substance use disorders.
He said: “Under the training programme, Master trainers will be trained who, in turn, will train non-mental health professionals at the local community levels.
“During the first phase of the programme, covering one year, training will be conducted in Abia, Anambra and Enugu states. The second phase of the program will see training conducted in Ebonyi and Imo states. Under the programme, 25 Master Trainers will be trained.
“And for each of the states to benefit from the programme, 150 community health workers and others will be trained in each of the five local governments in the states where the training programme will take place.
“Training staff will include coordinators, programme monitoring and evaluation officers, programme assistants and master trainers. Under the program, training will be conducted onsite and virtually, using the WHO MH-GAP training guide/manual.
As part of the training program, ancillary services will be planned for and, as part of adapting the MH-GAP programme to the Nigerian environment. These will include support services and programmes aimed at creating awareness of the programme
in local communities and beyond.
“Others will involve measures designed to increase the number and quality of other mental healthcare providers/practitioners to care for the emotional health of the people in the communities in which we operate.”
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