Dr. Vincent Udenze, a United Kingdom-based Consultant Psychiatrist/CEO of Synapse Services, yesterday said over 18 million Nigerians are mentally ill; though most people are not aware of their status.
Udenze blamed the rise in incidences of mental disorders on the stigmatization attached to it.
Speaking at a briefing to commemorate the family day, the doctor said discrimination accompanied with the status has also been directed at doctors who treat the patients making it also hard for victims to seek for care.
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Udenze quoted a World Health Organization recent report which said “that 12 percent of Nigerians have had symptoms to need diagnosis of mental disorders. That’s about 18 million of the Nigerian population.”
