Mindsplace Canvasses Use of Technology in Mental Healthcare

In celebration of its decade-long advocacy for mental health, Mindsplace, hosted the Awakening Summit, coinciding with World Mental Health Day.

The event gathered various stakeholders to engage in discussions about digital transformation, legislation, and cultural competence in mental health care.

Chaired by Femi Olubanwo, founding partner of Banwo & Ighodalo, the summit featured keynote speeches from Dr Tolu Aderemi, director of Perchstone & Graeys Consulting Limited, healthcare consultant Dr Omoseyindemi, Ina Alogwu, group director of digital transformation at ARM Holdings, certified workplace wellness talk therapist Adeboyin Olukoya, and occupational health physician, Dr Taiwo Akinoso.

Additionally, a panel discussion on Mental Health at Work showcased insights from Yemi Ajayi, CEO of Exitum Consulting, integrative life coach Tolu Afonja, Princess Adeyinka Tekenah, founder of Happy Coffee and educator, learning and development expert Zainab Atobatele and Morenikeji Olaniyi-Agboola, assistant director of Nursing Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba.

Keynote speaker, Dr Aderemi said,

“Nigeria with a population of over 200 million people has fewer than 300 psychiatrists accounting for a ratio of about 700,000 people per psychiatrist,” adding that there are “only eight neuro-psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria.”

During her address, the founder of Mindsplace, Eniola Bello said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in four Nigerians, approximately 50 million people, experience some form of mental illness. However, access to mental healthcare in Nigeria is difficult, with only one in ten individuals receiving adequate treatment.

“The psychiatrist-to-population ratio highlights the urgent need for technology to help close the gap. That’s why I established Mindsplace, a telepsychiatry platform dedicated to offering accessible and personalised mental healthcare.

“Mindsplace was birthed as Speak Your Mind in 2013 but rebranded to Mindsplace in 2016. Since launch, we have been advocating for mental health because we realised that the first challenge was poor awareness and education. Now that we’re seeing progress in that area, we’re moving to the next phase of providing a web and mobile app for people to thrive,” Miss Bello said.

The Mindsplace web and mobile app will be available for download on the Google Play and iOs stores and provide therapy services, online resources, and a supportive community to help individuals achieve emotional well-being.

The ecosystem will include doctors, therapists, healthcare providers, wellness vendors, pharmacists, and even logistics companies to deliver prescriptions to users.

Some of the dignitaries at the the Awakening Summit by hosted Mindsplace

The platform’s specialisations will include anxiety and stress management, child and adolescent counselling, couples and relationship counselling, trauma and PTSD therapy, depression and mood disorder management, affirmation, eating disorders, body image, addiction and substance abuse therapy.

The summit also featured participation and exhibition from JAALS Foundation, Eat to Wealth, NASoW Lagos, Little Saint, Shades of life, Ovations Media Group, Fotoba Nigeria Limited and Rotary Club of Ikeja, Alausa and Revolution Districts and Brand Spark.