An NGO, Carry My Cross Mental Healthcare Centre, Akure, Ondo State, says it trained no fewer than 55 mental health support workers in a month.
The Founder, Mr Rotimi Ogunsanmi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the graduation ceremony on Friday in Akure that the training was meant to discover people who could serve as mental health support workers.
“The training is also aimed at empowering people to be care assistants as well as show child care, especially when it is related to mental health.’’
Ogunsanmi said that almost 400 people registered for the training but only 55 people passed the examination that qualified them.
He said that the successful trainees would be made to show care and attention to the mentally challenged people and their children.
“It is regrettable that little or nothing has been done to really address mental related matters in Nigeria, thereby allowing the mentally challenged to roam streets without being attended.
“Hence, the need for the training to ensure that mental related issues are addressed and attended to in the state and Nigeria.’’
Ogunsanmi said that it cost the organisation N1million to organise the training, adding that no money was collected from the trainees.
“We find it unacceptable seeing mad people on the streets.
“It is the fault of the society when the mentally challenged are seen roaming about the streets aimlessly because we have not displayed enough care.
“Their bodies are being bruised while their children are taken away and sold.
“They are not supposed to be on the streets but in healthcare facilities.
“The training is to make positive impacts in their lives and that of their children so that they will not be subjected to dehumanisation,” he said.
Ogunsanmi said that the trainees were well equipped and had acquired the necessary skills to carry out the job to make the needed impact.
He said that the NGO’s priority was to address the inhumane treatment of the mentally challenged and provide healthcare services for them.
He thanked the president of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr Francis Faduyile for his professional and fatherly support in conducting the training.
Faduyile said that mental healthcare was one of the top priorities of NMA.
NMA president, who was represented by Dr Gbelela Dolani, the immediate past Chairman of NMA in Ondo State, said that the professional body had been advocating free treatment of mental health related sickness in Nigeria.
He promised that it would not relent until government responds as expected.
The NMA president, therefore, tasked the trainees to be good ambassadors of the NGO as the organisation bore the total burden of the training.
Mrs Veronica Oriri, a trainer urged them to make good use of the training they were given on a platter of gold as many did not have such opportunity.
Oriri said that the knowledge acquired would be a means of livelihood for them if diligently harnessed.
Responding, Mrs Titilayo Adenusi, one of the trainees, thanked the founder of the NGO for giving her the opportunity to be trained on how to cater for the mentally challenged.
Adenusi, a trained nurse, noted that it was unfortunate that mentally challenged patients were not considered worthy of care in the society, and promised that she would do her best to make good use of the knowledge.
Mr Raphael Adenegan, another trainee, described the founder of the NGO as a man of honour and integrity, who would not discriminate against anyone.
“There are many scammers out there that want to dupe people but his own is not like that and his effort to see that mental health challenges addressed is commended.
“We promise that we will not let you down but uphold the good virtues instilled in us for the improvement of the society,” he said. (NAN)
