Gede at the International Mental Health Congress, Lille, France

28-04-2015

Today, Gede attended the first day of the 2015 International Mental Health Congress which, this year, is focused on, ‘Mental Health for all: Connecting People and Sharing Experience.’ The Foundation’s Managing Director and Performance Director: Research and Advocacy contributed to highly proactive and well attended sessions on a range of subjects including, Change drivers for mental health systems; Developing primary health mental health care; Co-morbidity and common mental disorders; Stigma and discrimination within HIV-AIDS networks. There has already been significant interest in Gede’s work, with two international research institutions reaching out to the Foundation regarding the possibility of collaborative work in due course. Gede will also consider making a full presentation of its 2015 Prevalence Survey of common mental disorders in a sample of over 1000 people living with HIV-AIDS in Abuja, at the 2016 Congress. Day two tomorrow and Gede’s presentation to the Congress about the 2014 study on levels of mental health knowledge and stigma among a sample of HIV-AIDS Adherence Counsellors. Watch this space for an update tomorrow!

End of 5-day training for Interviewers

Today, Interviewers recruited for Gede’s large Prevalence Survey continued their training with sessions focusing on the use of the CIDI questionnaire. Members from the Network of People Living With HIV-AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) played important roles as ‘test respondents’ and helped to fine tune the approach which will be used during data collection. With training now almost finished, the Interviewers will make further preparations until early May when data collection will begin in earnest. Watch this space!

Big Day at Gede....

Today, Interviewers engaged for Gede and IHVN’s large study into the prevalence of common mental disorders (depression, substance abuse and suicidality) spent the day being trained on the specifics related to the questionnaire they will use for data collection. The practice sessions engaged Gede partners from the Network of People Living With HIV-AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) and was extremely useful in ‘testing’ the Interviewers under relatively realistic ‘field conditions’ before data collection starts in earnest in May. Tomorrow marks the final day of training and will continue with practise sessions using the WHO CIDI Questionnaire. Next, data collection!

During the morning, Gede also hosted a meeting of Site Coordinators who will play a key role in ensuring a regular supply of respondents for the Interviewers to engage with. The Coordinators were extremely helpful in identifying ways in which such a large survey can successfully engage respondents and several strategies were considered in this regard.

Gede also hosted another session of its popular series, ‘Mental Health Dialogue Programme’ which featured a presentation by Mrs M Udoh on, ‘Human Rights, Peace, Education and Mental Health’ which focused on the most recent advances in ‘rights’ as related to global mental health. The highly interactive Q&A session focused on the need to hold all Governments to account once conventions have been signed. This work should also, it was agreed, include supporting Government initiatives where appropriate.

During the course of the afternoon, Gede also hosted and Chaired a meeting of the CSO Coalition in Mental Health which discussed the 2015 work plan and budget coupled with a number of issues surrounding both formal registration and reaching out to a range of other mental health activists in due course. The Coalition is looking to become formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission within the next 1-2 months.

Gede's response to ECOSOC's call

Yesterday, as an NGO with a Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Gede submitted a written statement in response to ECOSOC’s call for NGO reflections on the theme – “Managing the transition from Millennium Development Goals to the sustainable development goals: what will it take?” Gede’s submission focused on two themes – (i) the need for SDGs to ensure that the cross-cutting nature of all social problems is fully acknowledged (in turn, avoiding the silo-thinking and funding which has tended to dominate the MDGs), and, (ii) the need for all development agencies to identify genuine core competencies as rigorously defined by analysts such as Hamel and Prahalad, rather than (as more often than not) as more lazily defined by NGOs themselves. The submission will be published on Gede’s website following the ECOSOC deadline of April 24 2015

Training of Interviewers- Day 3

Today, the Interviewers selected to undertake Gede’s large prevalence survey of common mental disorders in a sample of 1200 people living with HIV-AIDS were trained in the data collection tool as related to both alcohol use and suicidality. The training session also included working with Site Coordinators who will play a key role in ensuring that respondents are called at regular intervals to ensure that the target of 1200 is reached by the project. Day Four tomorrow!

Preliminary activities for the Prevalence Study

Day II  training of Interviewers,,,,,

Tuesday April 21 2015

Today, interviewers for Gede’s prevalence survey (of common mental disorders in a sample of 1200 people living with HIV-AIDS in Abuja) were put through their paces in terms of training on ways in which the data collection tool addresses depression. In addition to being trained on screening techniques and the questions posed, Interviewers also went through a number of practice sessions related to using the CIDI tool ‘in situ’ when the collection of data starts in earnest in May. The training continues throughout this week

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.