The President/ Vice Chancellor, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Prof. Ademola Tayo, has said despite the booming population of African countries, about 12.7% of the population are suffering from loneliness and are facing mental challenges such as depression.
Africa had a population estimate of 1.45 billion in 2022 out of the global population estimate of 8.045 billion.
Prof. Tayo spoke on Monday during the induction by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, of the eighth set of medical doctors produced by the university.
Quoting a report by Donovan & Blazer 2020, the VC said among the elderly in Africa, nearly 25% suffer from loneliness and that the figure for Europe was lower, it was put at 5.3%.
“Dear inductees, the major challenges of the health profession have gone beyond malaria, typhoid and other infective conditions that were the burden of the health professionals in yester years. In 2022, there was a projection of what the leading burden of disease and causes of death will be by 2030. Based on the projection, the three leading causes of death will be HIV/AIDS, depression and ischaemic heart disease.
“With the successes made on HIV/AIDS care thus far and efforts to promote lifestyle that has minimised the burden of ischaemic heart disease, it is then no surprise that the World Health Organization in 2023 began emphasising on the need to address mental health challenges in our time. Of the mental health challenges, loneliness has been identified as a threat to humankind.
“The effect of loneliness and social isolation on mortality is equivalent to smoking 15 sticks of cigarettes daily, obesity and physical inactivity. No wonder, in November 2023, WHO set up a commission on social connection to look into how social connections enhance the well-being of our communities and societies and as well promote development and innovation”, he said.
Tayo said the 74 medical doctors was the highest number produced so far by the university.
He charged the newly-qualified medical doctors to approach their future endeavours with the hope that they are accountable to God and have the mind to stay in the country and help develop it.
The Registrar, MDCN, Dr Fatima Kyari, in her message, praised Babcock University for making great impact in the training of medical doctors and in other spheres.
She commended the staff of Benjamin Carson (Snr) College of Health and Medical Sciences, Babcock University for their yeoman’s job in producing such excellent medical personnel.
Ishola Ibukunoluwa Victoria and Maconi Christiana Yewande got seven distinctions each to emerge the overall best graduating students.
The Provost, Prof. John Sotunsa admonished the doctors to be determined to break new grounds and positively impact their generation and society.
The Medical Elder of the Day, Dr. Akintomiwa Obisanya, urged the medical doctors to know the importance of their calling and take it with all sense of responsibility.
Recall that Vanguard had published a story titled: ‘Nigerians suffering mental health issues over current challenges – Psychological Association‘.
Speaking at a Two-Day Capacity Building Training on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Benue state, organised by the NPA in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, WHO, and the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services, in Makurdi, the State Chairman of the NPA, Dr Iorlumun Shimakaa said the development was a source of worry for experts in the sector.
He pointed out that without sound mental health, no one would be able to realise his or her full potential in any given field.
Dr. Shimakaa said “We all agree that everybody in Benue state particularly and in Nigeria cannot boast of having stable mental health because of the present challenges that have affected our mental health generally.
“And we also agree that there cannot be good health without mental health. For that reason, it has become imperative that we come together as partners to deepen our knowledge and improve the services we are delivering at our various platforms of intervention.
“So with this capacity building, we will not just come up with the increased level of knowledge but we will also set up our level of intervention in the various places where we have been intervening.
Credit: Vanguard
