Hunger, Poverty Increasing Mental Health Issues In Nigeria – Obi Laments

The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has said that the worsening economic situation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration is increasing mental health cases in the country.

Obi stated this in his message as Nigeria joined the global community on Thursday to commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day.

Speaking via a post on his X handle, the former Anambra governor lamented that mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves in Nigeria.

He noted that suicide cases in the country, fuelled by anxiety and depression, had remained on the rise.

Obi argued that hunger, poverty, and income inequalities coupled with other socio-political issues were negatively affecting the populace.

He disclosed that about 40 to 60 million Nigerians currently suffer from different mental ailment.

According to him, “In Nigeria, mental health remains one of the critical health issues not given the due attention it deserves.

“The worsening economic situation resulting from hunger, poverty, and income inequalities in the country, coupled with other socio-political issues affecting the nation, have continued to fuel a growing menace of mental health cases.

“The National Institute of Health reports that about 40 to 60 million Nigerians suffer various forms of mental ailment.”