By JOHN WADA, Lafia

The Nasarawa state Ministry of Health in collaboration with Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia, has joined the rest of the world to commemorate this year's World Mental Health Day with an awareness walk aimed at drawing attention to the plight of people living with mental health challenges.

The walk, which took place in Lafia, was led by a Consultant Psychiatrist with the hospital, Dr. Paul Ede Agbo.

Speaking with newsmen during the exercise, Dr. Paul Agbo said the walk was part of activities lined up to mark the Day, which is globally observed on October 10.

"Okay, I'm Dr. Paul Agbo, consultant psychiatrist with the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia," he said.

"Today we are commemorating the World Mental Health Day with a walk. Usually, it's held every 10th of October, but 10th of October was a Saturday, so we decided to do the walk today. Just that's why we're here, a walk commemorating the World Mental Health Day," he explained.

Dr. Agbo noted that the Day was set aside by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to focus on the peculiar needs of persons with mental health conditions, who are often victims of stigma and discrimination.

"World Mental Health Day, like I said, is celebrated on the 10th of October every year. And it's basically to draw the attention of the world of people on the peculiarities of mental health. You know that people who suffer mental health challenges are a special group of people. They are prone to being stigmatized," he said.

"And so the WHO decided that it would be appropriate to hold a day in their honor, so that they bring to the fore the idea, the peculiarities, the needs, and particularly the essence of humanity -because they are also humans. So this is a day that the WHO has set aside for us to celebrate the peculiar needs and aspirations of those who are affected by mental health challenges," Dr. Agbo added.

He disclosed that this year's theme is "Lived experiences, health, real voices, and real changes," which seeks to give a voice to people with lived experience of mental illness.

"For this year - every year there is a theme for this year, the theme for the World Mental Health Day is 'Lived experiences, health, real voices, and real changes.' The idea is for us to hear from the people who are suffering from mental health afflictions," he said.

On his part, the Mental Health Desk Officer of the State Ministry of Health and Consultant Family Physician, Dr. Joshua E Moses said the ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling stigmatisation and improving access to mental healthcare services in the state.

Dr. Moses said the ministry through the desk is working to strengthen mental health awareness and ensure that people living with mental health conditions receive the care and dignity they deserve.

According to him, persons suffering from mental health challenges constitute a special group who are often misunderstood and stigmatised by society, hence the need for sustained sensitisation.

Speaking on the significance of the Day, which is marked globally on October 10, Dr. Moses said it was set aside by the World Health Organization (WHO) to draw global attention to mental health and to celebrate the humanity of those affected.

He noted that this year's theme, "Lived Experiences, Health, Real Voices, and Real Changes," underscores the importance of listening to the voices of people with lived experiences of mental health conditions in shaping policies and interventions.

Dr. Moses commended the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia, and other stakeholders for organising the walk, stressing that collective action remains crucial to addressing mental health challenges and eliminating discrimination in the state.

He called on residents to show empathy and support to persons with mental health conditions, emphasising that they are part of society and deserve equal rights and opportunities.