As the year 2023, World's Mental Health Day was being celebrated across the Globe, students and teachers were urged not to be involved in taking hard drugs that can endanger their mental fitness and consequently jeopardize their future.
A day programme was organized by UNIMED, Teaching Hospital and Rotary Club of Ondo where the general public was charged with the theme, 'Mental Health is a Universal right' held at TETFUND BUILDING, UNIMED Ondo State Nigeria.
The keynote speaker at the symposium was Prof. Olusegun Fatusi the Vice-Chancellor UNIMED ably represented by a Consultant mental health professional Dr. Joshua Falade. The VC opined that mental health is an integral part of our overall health and well-being which allows us to cope with the challenges of life, connect with others and thrive throughout life, while saying it is vital and deserves to be recognized.
Fatusi noted the essence of these year's advocacy, sensitization and outreach developments was to create awareness against suicide, drug abuse, and the use of illicit substances, so as to create a better world place for people co-exist.
The Vice-Chancellor lamented that mental health was the least discussed and usually misdiagnosed in the African climes and this has continued to put pressure on the healthcare system.
Earlier, the President Rotary Club of Ondo, RTN. Ruphina Akinbinu during her welcome address said mental health is a crucial aspect of human existence indicating overall well-being, and society must understand the significance and take necessary steps to maintain it.
According to her, the purpose of mental health is to promote sanity and prevent mental illness, and by doing so, our larger society can reduce the burden of mental illness on individuals, families and society.
The Commander, NDLEA, Ondo State ably represented by a Deputy Director of Narcotic and drugs abuse, Mrs Jeyifous Yetunde highlighted the importance of creating awareness on mental health, and hinted that drug abuse was a societal problem that needed to be discouraged at all costs.
According to him, " Today a lot of people are abusing one substance or the other and it is becoming a malady in our society. Suicide thoughts have affected millions of people due to the abuse of drugs which has affected the mental health of many individuals. He emphasized the need to encourage all and sundry to shun drug abuse and always seek help if need be.
The CMD UNIMED Teaching Hospital, Dr Oluwole Ige represented by the (DCMAC) Special Duties, Dr Francis Akinkunmi advised the good people of Ondo state to avoid drug abuse which is a very causative factor of mental health among the youths. In his words " drug abuse is a dangerous impending factor in our world today, however, abuse of drugs is not the solution, rather it better to get help from appropriate quarters.
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