Monday April 20 2015

Today, the Gede Foundation hosted a training session for Interviewers who will play a key role in executing the large prevalence survey of common mental disorders (depression, substance abuse, suicidality) in a sample of 1200 people living with HIV-AIDS in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. The research will result in a peer reviewed Journal article and will play a major role in supporting the Foundation’s work in evolving approaches to HIV-AIDS care and support which will see the integration of the screening and treatment of mental health conditions. The first day of training was attended by Gede Team members, ten Interviewers and partners from IHVN

GEDE TO ATTEND THE INTERNATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONGRESS,LILLE

Gede’s Managing Director (John Minto) and Performance Director: Research and Advocacy (Dr Cynthia Ticao) will attend the 2015 International Mental Health Congress in Lille, France from April 28-30 2015. The theme of this year’s Congress is focused on exploring ways in which ‘mental health’ can be accessible to all, particularly in relation to health services in all countries being able to offer mental health screening and treatment. Gede will also make a presentation on its 2014 study into the levels of stigma within a sample HIV-AIDS Adherence Counsellors and will also be posting daily blogs from Lille. Watch this space!

The Prevalence Study Picks Up Speed...

During the week of April 20-24 2015, Gede will host a number of training and orientation sessions for Interviewers and Site Coordinators who will play a key role in the forthcoming prevalence survey of common mental disorders in a sample of 1200 people living with HIV-AIDS in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory. The survey, the largest of its kind ever in Africa, is being under taken with the Foundation’s partners, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) and will result in a peer reviewed Journal article being published in early 2016. Watch this space for regular blogs next week covering the training and orientation sessions…

Raising up Children with Positive Mental Health

“Preparations for childrens’ positive mental health began even before conception. By their nature, they deserve protection because they lack the physical, mental and emotional maturity required to face life”- Mrs Margaret Udoh, the Coordinator, National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria (NACCRAN) pointed that in her presentation during Gede Foundation’s April 8 2015 mental health dialogue meeting.

They are several negative consequences that could arise, when caregivers pay insufficient attention to adolescent mental health in particular. These include poor self esteem,sexual abuse, behavioral difficulties, poor school performance, drug and alcohol abuse and death. MrsUdoh encouraged every caregiver and programme staff in orphans and vulnerable children interventions to promote the recommendations in Nigeria’s Child Rights Acts to ensure relative support to institutions and families in promoting mental health for children.

The Child Right Acts which stipulate 18 conventional rights of a child (www.sosvillages-nigeria.org/childsrightsact.html_ ) are all designed to promote the physical and mental health of minors and should be implemented across every sector of the society.

On Wednesday March 25 2015, at a packed Gede, attendees of the Foundation’s Mental Health Dialogue Programme were given a rare treat as two speakers gave exceptionally engaging presentations on Mental Health and Orphans and Vulnerable Children and the importance of addressing stigma in bringing mental health issues out of the shadows.

Renowned poet Bassey Ikpi gave a moving presentation on her own ‘mental health journey’ and talked about the importance (in all societies) of addressing the causes of stigma which result in so many people keeping their mental health conditions ‘in the shadows’, leading to a situation in which treatment pathways are too often shunned.

Reverend Sister Cecelia from the Catholic Action Committee Against AIDS (CACA) gave a powerful presentation about the mental health impact on those children who, as orphans, often find themselves vulnerable and marginalised. Reverend Sister Cecelia highlighted the excellent work of CACA in addressing many of these issues and advocated strongly for greater efforts to ensure that the plight of so many OVCs does not remain ‘in the shadows’.

Both presentations were followed by lively Q&A sessions.

 The session was also delighted and honoured to hear a message of support, delivered in person, by Gede’s Founder, Dr Jennifer Jamilah Douglas-Abubakar, who highlighted the importance of such sessions in terms of networking and raising key issues related to underserved and highly stigmatised health burdens. Dr Douglas-Abubakar also praised participants for devoting time and energy to raise awareness about mental health in particular and hoped that efforts eventually lead to a recognition, at all levels of society (including Government), of the impact of mental illness and the need for resources to be allocated to address them fully.

 The next meeting of the Dialogue Programme will be held on April 15 2015.

Gede and IHVN recruit Interviewers for prevalence study

A panel of interviewers from Gede Foundation and IHVN recruited a number of key personnel for the Study on the Prevalence of Depression, Alcohol Abuse and Suicidality among a sample of over 1000 people living positively in the FCT.  The interviews were conducted on March 24, 25 and 26th at the IHVN Office in Abuja.  The 35 short-listed candidates came from a pool of almost 400 applicants who expressed interest in being part of the team. 

The recruitment process is part of preparatory activities for the prevalence study.  The data collection phase is expected to take off in May 2015.  

Entrepreneurial skills and Mental Health awareness among young people

The Partnership between Gede and UNICEM in Calabar has recently grown beyond giving educational support to young people in rural communities, to include the training of beneficiaries on entrepreneurial skills which will provide other options to earn a living.
 
The training included sessions on ‘promoting positive mental health’ through awareness on substance misuse.
 
It also covered micro-enterprise fundamentals which included an introduction to the business cycle, record keeping, adding-value, marketing, selling for profit and savings using “Making Cent International Micro-enterprise Fundamental Tool Kit”  by  trained resource persons.
At the end of the training sessions, participants realized the importance of entrepreneurial skills in their personal and business development, which motivated them to combine business planning, marketing of products and recognizing opportunities that they could offer.

Centre for Women and Adolescent Empowerment

Today, John Minto, Managing Director of Gede met with the Executive Chair and Founder of the Centre for Women and Adolescent Empowerment, Asmau’u Joda. The Centre, which is based in Yola, Adamawa State, is currently working closely with the American University of Nigeria (Yola) in order to provide appropriate support to people who have been displaced by recent fighting in nearby states and have been forced to live in IDP camps. A large part of this work involves sourcing and providing high quality counselling for girls in particular who have gone through traumatic experiences before and during their time in the camps. Gede and the Centre will continue to explore opportunities to work together, given their respective passion for mental illness and mental health.

Gede Foundation and IHVN Visit Treatment Sites

Officers and staff of the Gede Foundation and the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) visited three IHVN-managed special treatment clinics located at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, the Asokoro District Hospital, and Garki District Hospital on March 4 and 5, 2015. The purpose of these visits was for Gede and IHVN to introduce the Prevalence Study Project (PSP) to the site coordinators. The PSP is a joint project between Gede and IHVN. It will be a prevalence study on depression, alcohol use, and suicidality among the HIV population in FCT, Abuja. Data collection is expected to start in these facilities by the end of April 2015.

DEPRESSION DISORDERS

Today, as part of its Mental Health Dialogue Programme, the Gede Foundation hosted a well attended presentation on ‘Depression Disorders’ given by Dr Maureen Osuji-Ekeh, Clinical Psychologist, Karu General Hospital. Dr Osuji-Ekeh’s wide ranging presentation touched on all aspects of depression – from mild to severe and covered specialist issues such as post natal depression. After the presentation, the audience engaged in a very likely Q&A session during which one issue was made very clear – there is very little gained in keeping awareness about any form of depression (or mental health condition) ‘in the shadows’. Watch this space for news about future Mental Health Dialogue Programme presentations.