For people reading this for the first time, it’s a story about a widowed mother of 4 who has been encouraged to go for HIV test following the mysterious death of her husband. She took to the advice of a relative and went for an HIV test at a nearby Pharmacy where she tested positive. She was referred to Gede for confirmatory test which also turned out positive. Despite every effort at psychosocial counselling and appeals from her children over the months, she did not recover from the news. It was as if the clock stopped ticking and time stood still! She slipped into depression and not even the thought of remaining strong and alive for her children (as the only living parent) could bring her out of it. Life seemed to have lost its meaning, she rarely ate and refused to take antiretroviral drugs (for which she was due). It wasn’t long before her immune system became compromised and she fell ill. She never recovered (perhaps the will to do so had long gone) and my enquiry to her oldest child after a while confirmed she had passed on. The question where lies the link comes up again and would be considered in the final part of this story but I can be reached on obamijoko@gedefoundation.org
A Different Understanding (Part 1)
Solape is back again. This time around to share with you a case which I experienced about seven years ago as an HIV/AIDS Counsellor. Then, I thought it was just a case of psychosocial counselling (follow up counselling which would usually come after the disclosure of an HIV positive result) but my recent increase in knowledge in mental health is making me think deeper. In 2006, I met a woman, a fulltime housewife who had just lost her husband and was left with 4 children whose age ranged from 4 years to 16 years. The man had died after a protracted illness whose nature she was not really aware of. Upon his death, a relative (whom she was not sure if he knew the late husband’s status or not) advised her to go for an HIV test because of (according to him) ‘the way in which his kinsman (her husband) died was somehow suspicious’. The woman was disturbed by this observation, but what happened next was truly shocking. I will continue this terrible story in my next blog but I can be reached on obamijoko@gedefoundation.org
A Different Understanding
Hi there,
My name is Solape Bamijoko, a Gede Foundation team member who has worked as an HIV/AIDS Counselor for the last seven years. Are HIV/AIDS and mental health related you would ask? When growing up in Nigeria, I often thought that 'mental health' really only referred to the man roaming the street...or chained to the treatment bed. Is that what ‘mental health’ is all about? What of the person who feels life is no more worth living because of an HIV positive result and contemplates suicide? Or the one who refuses to be consoled and falls into depression also because of a HIV positive result. In my work as a Counselor, I have come to see the links between HIV and mental health (especially the ways in which they interact - people living positively are more prone to mental health challenges while those living with mental health challenges can be more prone to HIV). I will be sharing more with you in future blogs...
Baseline Survey on Mental Health Knowledge
A group of 14 Adherence Counselors and Treatment Coordinators gathered at the Gede Foundation Training Room on Saturday afternoon (May 24, 2014) to start the Gede-NEPWHAN baseline study as part of their joint partnership on Enhancing the Capacity of HIV/AIDS Adherence Counselors to Improve Treatment and Care in the FCT.
The purpose of the gathering was for the group to know how to administer the baseline questionnaire and to be introduced to the importance of mental health knowledge, particularly in relation to HIV/AIDS. From the questions and concerns shared by the participants, it was clear that mental health awareness needs to be raised at the community level. The research will also result in a major document which will be circulated widely throughout the development and health community.
For more information about the project, please contact Godwin Etim at godwin@gedefoundation.org
CSOs Form Coalition to Address Mental Health Gaps
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Gede and NEPWHAN hosted representatives of leading civil society organisations for an initial discussion on the implications on their programmes of the implications of the 2013 National Policy for Mental Health Services Delivery on CSOs. This meeting marked the first time ever for CSOs to meet to discuss mental health initiatives in Nigeria.
Participants reflected on gaps in knowledge and services for mental health at the community level and also discussed the implications of the 2013 Policy, including ways in which CSOs could become better coordinated for advocacy, awareness raising and, where appropriate, service delivery. The group agreed to meet within the next few weeks to discuss the details.
With vital information on the history of the National Policy and mhGAP provided by the WHO representative, the group agreed to form a coordinating body that will formulate plans for advancing mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment.
Gede Foundation thanks Yar’Adua Centre for the use of the Board Room and the following sponsors for lending support to this activity: HE Frank Ventures, CJ Bookshop Ltd, Donns Media, Prefair Concepts, and Elo.C Enugo West Africa Ltd.
Advancing the NEPWHAN and Gede Foundation Pilot Project
GEDE and Adherence Counsellors
Gede and NEPWHAN FCT
Gede Foundation specialists met with officers of NEPWHAN (FCT) on May 14, 2014 to advance the planning for a baseline study of mental health to build the capacity of Adherence Counselors in addressing mental health issues of members. Many shared their stories—how they reacted the first time they were diagnosed with HIV, how they are coping with the side effects of medication, and how important their support groups were to them.
There were about 25 members who took great interest in knowing the link between HIV and mental health. Staying mentally healthy is an essential factor in adherence to medication.
The engagement helped both organizations baseline study results are expected to guide Gede in designing a stigma reduction training program for Adherence Counselors by July 2014.
Coming to the end…
…of my first stint writing for our blog site, I have reflected on a range of readings I have been engaged with over the last two months – from biomedical insights into HIV-AIDS to those covering the biopsychosocial. Perhaps the most insightful comment I have read (and which also came as a revelation to a number of Drs I know) was written by Dr Eugene Farber - ‘untreated mental health disorders are associated with decreased HIV primary health care access, reduced medical adherence, lower retention in care, and poor overall health outcomes’. Surely, any reflection on this observation will result in a call for significant changes in the way so many agencies offer HIV-AIDS treatment and care (ie without mental health) at the present time? - John Minto (jminto@gedefoundation.org)
CSO Mental Health Round Table
The Gede Foundation is currently putting in place plans to hold a Round Table for civil society organizations working in Federal Capital Territory, focused on assessing the implications to their work of the August 2013 National Mental Health Services Delivery Policy, which is widely seen by commentators as the precursor to Nigeria’s first Mental Health Act. This important Round Table will be the first of its kind to be held in FCT and will include all of the agencies working in the field of mental health. Gede is planning for regular Round Tables which support the work of the National Council on Mental Health in ensuring that CSOs are aware of official initiatives and respond appropriately. For more information, email John Minto at jminto@gedefoundation.org
Food For Thought
Did you know that… The Federal Ministry of Health’s WHO supported mental health GAP (mhGAP) initiative is already providing mental health services in pilot communities? As mhGAP notes,‘there is a widely shared but mistaken belief that all mental health interventions are sophisticated and can only be delivered by highly specialized staff. Research…has demonstrated the feasibility of delivery of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions in non-specialised health care settings’. mhGAP is providing skills to a range of community level health workers to identify, treat and/or refer conditions such as depression, psychosis, epilepsy, dementia, alcohol and substance abuse. For more information about this programme, see http://www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en/ and keep reading Gede’s blogs to see how the Foundation will work with mhGAP at selected project sites.
From The Punch Newspaper
The United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited on Thursday called on over 100 stakeholders in charge of School-Based Management Committees to take concrete steps to address the challenges facing selected secondary schools in Cross River State. The stakeholders were drawn from Government Secondary School, Akansoko in Akpabuyo Local Government Area; Government Secondary School, Aningeje in Akamkpa LGA and West African People Institute, in Calabar Municipality, which are under the operational base of UniCem.
The SBMCs were established by the Federal Government to act as a bridge between schools and the communities they serve, by planning and implementing activities that will lead to improved learning outcomes.
It is a voluntary group that is made up of teachers, parents and leaders of community-based groups.
Speaking at the end of a two-day refresher programme organised for stakeholders in the selected schools, Corporate Affairs Director, Mr. Ita Ayi, said UniCem would continue to ensure proper management of the schools for improvement in the quality of education.
He said the company, through its education partner, Gede Foundation, initiated the refresher training and review meeting for the three SBMCs in order to drive them to take concrete steps to improve performances.
Ayi said, “UniCem will continue to support government initiatives aimed at improving education, because, education remains a key pillar in the company. This initiative is one of our modest contributions to the improvement in the quality of education in public schools.”
Programme Coordinator of Gede Foundation, Mrs. Ekaette Udoekong, said areas of needs as identified by the stakeholders include the provision of portable water to the selected schools, mending of leaking roofs and providing toilet facilities.
Udoekong explained that the objective of the two-day refresher programme was to rekindle the respective SBMCs to come out with workable action plans.
“The objective was to refresh them on their roles and responsibilities and make them bring out action plans on how to solve these challenges. They hardly meet regularly. So it was meant to find solutions on the challenges raised,” she said.
http://www.punchng.com/education/firm-decries-challenges-in-criver-schools/