The bill seeking to protect persons with mental health and substance abuse problems which was sponsored by the All Progressive Congress (APC) Adamawa State, Ahmadu Abubakar was today passed for second reading.
The bill which was titled, “A Bill for an Act to Protect Persons with Mental Health Needs and Establishment of National Commission for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for Effective Management of Mental Health in Nigeria and for other Related Matters, 2019.” was first presented on the floor of the Senate on January 23, seeking to provide direction for a coherent response to mental health and substance abuse victims in Nigeria.
The APC senator, Mr. Ahmadu Abubakar stated that the bill if passed will help to provide a better quality of life and better service delivery by the protection of rights and freedom of person who are passing through the challenges in mental health and substance abuse. During the presentation of the bill he stated that the bill will provide a legal framework which is non-existence in the country on issues bothering on mental health problems.
In his submission, he cited that worldwide about sixty (60) percent of health burden is linked to mental health problems and a good percentage of the patients are either not diagnosed or have access to treatment even when diagnosed rather they are often beaten and shackled.
According to the World Health Organisation (2006), mental health problems are neglected in Nigeria and the existing policy document on mental health issues in Nigeria which was promulgated in 1991 has no legal backing hence there is no implementations and no formal assessment of the extent of mental health problems in Nigeria.
Mr. Ahmadu Abubakar cited other African countries which have better resources in terms of care for patients with mental health problems and substance abuse than Nigeria to include Kenya, Egypt and South Africa. He therefore urged the house to consider the bill in other to improve on care for patients with mental health problems and substance abuse in Nigeria.
He further added that if passed the bill will promote collaboration among agencies for the implementation of policies for mental health and substance abuse as well as provide technical supervision and ensure general compliance.
In his concluding remark he stated that the bill is seeking to review policies and guidelines on mental health and substance abuse issues with consultations with relevant stakeholders as “there is no modern legislation backing this cause except the obsolete law.”
Shehu Sani referred to the bill as a worthy intervention on the situation of mental health problem in the country. The noted that the bill if passed will be to set up a commission in other to regulate institutions and activities of mental health services in Nigeria.
Shehu Sani stated that as a result of poor government attention to mental health problems, our cities are filled up with people of all ages – young and old- constituting nuisance to the public. He also referred to cases of people who are being discriminated against by the society and even their families by sending them to life imprisonment as a result of their mental health problems.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided over plenary stated that everyone living in Nigeria irrespective of their state of health is the responsibility of government and government must rise to its responsibilities of taking care of them.
He therefore commended the sponsor of the bill. The bill was passed for a second reading and referred to the Senate Committee of Health to put a finishing legislative touch to the bill and report back to the house in two weeks.
