NDDC pledges support for mental health issues

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has said the commission will continue to support efforts to create awareness on mental health challenges and help in tackling them.

Ogbuku stated this during the 13th edition of the EveAfrique Red Ball, with special focus on mental health awareness and management in Port Harcourt.

This was contained in a statement on Monday by the NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Dr Ibitoye Abosede.

The NDDC MD lamented that mental health challenges were often compounded by the myths and stigma attached to them.

Ogbuku, who was bestowed with� the �Heart of Gold Award� for his contributions to spreading awareness in mental health management and other health issues in the Niger Delta region, noted that mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Represented by the commission�s Director, Health and Social Services, Dr George Uzonwanne, the MD explained that mental health issues affect �how we think, feel, and act.

�It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.�

Ogbuku added: �If we conduct a psychiatric evaluation of everyone in this room, we will find out that a good number of us are dealing with one mental health challenge or the other.�

�Stress is part of life and will always be part of life, but how we react to it determines how well our mental health will be.�

He noted that the mandate of the NDDC was beyond building physical infrastructure, saying, �It encompasses building human capacity and caring for the well-being of the people of the Niger Delta region.�

Speaking, a Consultant Psychiatrist at Elpida Rehabilitation Centre, Port Harcourt, Dr. Ayodeji Oluwaseun, said increasing awareness on mental health helps society to work towards eliminating its stigma and addressing the challenges associated with mental illness.

The Convener, Eve Afrique Red Ball, Mrs Ivy Davies Etokakpan, emphasised the importance of celebrating �remarkable individuals who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to the growth and development of the Niger Delta region and its people.�