“Getting it right-Mental Health and HIV-AIDS care and support”

Gede Foundation appeared in another edition of the widely read ‘Health Reporters’ with an article on ‘Getting it right – mental health and HIV-AIDS care and support’. The article (http://healthreporters.info/2014/10/29/getting-it-right-mental-health-and-hivaids-care-and-support/) explores the importance of ensuring that people living positively have access to appropriate care and support regimes which also include the screening of depression and substance abuse in particular. Another article, written by Gede, on the links between depression and HIV-AIDS will appear shortly.

Community-based Mental Health activities-CBM’s approach

Today, as part of the Foundation’s Mental Health Dialogue Programme, Gede hosted a talk given by Dr Emeka Nwefoh, Mental Health Advisor at CBM Nigeria (www.cbm.org). Dr Nwefoh’s presentation focused on the challenges in designing and implementing community based mental health programmes and resulted in a lively Q&A session. 19 civil society organisations attended the presentation and concluded with a strong agreement that the Dialogue Programme will develop into an important ‘calendar event’ for all organisations interested not only in mental health per se, but in underserved and stigmatised health burdens in general. The next Mental Health Dialogue Programme presentation will be delivered on November 12 2014 by Dr Uju Agomoh, Executive Director of PRAWA, who will talk about the rights of those incarcerated in prisons.

Mental Health Dialogue – Faith-Based Perspective

Civil Society Organizations namely PPFN, CACA, NINERELA+, doctors and health personnel from the Defense Medical Center, TB Network Nigeria and PRAWA were at Gede Foundation to participate in a discussion that is centered on faith-based perspective of mental health. Key in the discussion was the perception by many people in Nigeria that persons with mental health condition are “demonic” and should undergo some spiritual deliverance sessions to exorcize the “demons” responsible for the disorder. However, the practice commonly used by some of the religious groups in relation to the management of common mental disorder and mental illness is the use of groups within the fold such as the women fellowship, youth fellowship and counseling units to offer support at that level and thereafter seek for medical treatment.

Religious leaders feel that many of their followers believe that they have powers to resolve mental health challenges. However, most leaders lack appropriate qualifications and experience to make in depth judgments relating to mental and other health issues, and simply tell their members to pray and have faith in their recovery.

Participants suggested that some religious leaders might benefit from formal training in mental health conditions which would be for the benefit of the communities they serve.

HIV/AIDS & Mental Health – Perspectives of a Medical Doctor - Part 3

To improve the quality of life of the couple, whose story was given in the previous blog, issues of mental health – alcohol abuse and psychological trauma had to be addressed. I must tell you it wasn’t easy but we have made progress. The wife has been able to overcome the fear of her husband’s outbursts and is now on antiretroviral medication while the husband is scheduled to go through with a series of psychotherapy before commencing his antiretroviral. From my experience with clients at Gede Foundation, I can say that HIV is a biopsychosocial illness. I hope my fellow colleagues would come to a quick realization of this for the better management of people living with HIV/AIDS to better improve quality of life. I look forward to your comments and reactions. Dr. Michael Ameh can be reached on mameh@gedefoundation.org

Gede Foundation and ‘Health Reporters’

‘Health Reporters’ is a non profit initiative with the sole aim of raising the visibility of health issues in the media, both within Nigeria and further afield. Recently, the editor of the online Journal asked Gede to contribute a piece focusing on the reasons why mental health should be included in the forthcoming Sustainable Development Targets. The article, written by the Foundation’s Managing Director, can be seen at -http://healthreporters.info/2014/10/09/why-should-mental-health-targets-
be-included-in-sustainable-development-goals/

Following this well received article, Gede has been asked to write another piece on the ways in which common mental disorders (anxiety, depression and substance abuse) can be integrated into HIV-AIDS care and support regimes, with a particular focus on the role of Adherence Counsellors. Watch this space, or go to the Health Reporter’s website to source this article when it appears.

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.

The day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
Gede Foundation joined the rest of the world to mark this day by raising awareness and addressing stigma that is associated with mental health through 1) experience sharing from those who recovered from mental illnesses and 2) community drama at Dutse Community in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Dutse community village head, Chief Haruna Gyandawe, led his constituency to partake in this event which was put together by Gede Foundation in partnership with Dutse Community support group. This is one of the series of community awareness raising activities on mental health and avenues to create community support network against stigma and discrimination.

Preliminary Activities on HIV-AIDS Funds (HAF)-2 Grant

HIV prevalence rate among the adult population in Nigeria is high with an estimated 3.3 million people infected with the virus within 15-49 age bracket (2012 est.)

Gede Foundation is contributing to the reduction of HIV infection in the South West Zone of Nigeria though HIV prevention activities among adults in Ibadan West and North of Oyo State. Advocacy and familiarization tours carried out recently in two LGAs were aimed at preparing the community to support the implementation ofHAF-2 activities.

In partnership with the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) and Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS, a total of 3,000 adults are expected to be reached with minimum prevention package intervention (MPPI) in the two LGAs before the end of 2015.
For more information, contact poshadami@gedefoundation.org

31st International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, Abuja

Today (September 25th) marks the ‘Light a Candle Day’ coordinated by our friends at the Network of People Living With HIV-AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) – a special day on which we all remember those who have lost their lives to HIV-AIDS. Gede also acknowledges the work we are doing with NEPWHAN which focuses on advocating for common mental disorders (anxiety, depression and substance (including alcohol) abuse) to be included in HIV-AIDS care and support regimes. As evidence shows, if care and support does not include these mental health conditions, then people living positively are being given health care which is nowhere near as effective as it should be. Please return to Gede’s webpage regularly to check on what we are doing to ensure that people living positively are able to access their right to appropriate health care – John Minto jminto@gedefoundation.org

Mental Health Awareness Session at the Defense Medical Centre, Abuja

People with physical health conditions are at risk of developing poor mental health especially patient with chronic diseases. On September 15, 2014, Gede Foundation was at the Defense Medical Centre, Abuja to create awareness on mental health to patients accessing prenatal and maternity care, HIV counseling, HIV testing and treatment, and other medical care services at the clinic.

Patients at the session expressed concern at the barriers in managing common mental disorders (depression, anxiety and substance abuse), for newly diagnosed HIV patients. These barriers include stigma and a wide range of misconceptions surround HIV infection and mental health disorders.

Explanations were offered by the medical team from Gede Foundation to address those misconceptions and participants were encouraged to seek medical help promptly, talk to someone, join a support group, adhere to medication, observe good nutrition and engage in hopeful activities such games and exercise. Contact Ekaette Udoekong (eudoekong@gedefoundation.org) for further information.

Gede Foundation and the 2014 Global Mental Health: Research and Action Summer School

John Minto (Managing Director) and Cynthia Ticao (International Development and Donor Specialist) of the Gede Foundation attended the Global Mental Health: Research and Action Summer School run by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London (through the Global Centre for Mental Health) from September 8-11. Gede took the opportunity to mix with many of the world’s leading global mental health figures and was able to inform a wide ranging audience about the Foundation’s growing focus on researching the links between HIV-AIDS and mental health (and the advocacy and policy development work which naturally spring from this). The Summer School resulted in a number of options regarding future collaborations between Gede and internationally recognised agencies and also saw the formal book launch (attended by the authors and the Director of the Wellcome Trust) of ‘Global Mental Health Trials’ (Thornicroft and Patel, eds.)