COMMUNIQUE ARSING FROM THE SURPIN 2024 VIRTUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE HELD ON SATURDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2024.
The Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) held its virtual National Conference on Saturday, 28th September 2024, at 09:45 AM, with the theme: "Research as a Tool for Promoting Future Mental Wellbeing among the Youth - Part 2." The conference brought together key stakeholders, professionals, researchers, students, and representatives from various organizations committed to suicide prevention, mental health advocacy, and youth empowerment.
The conference featured presentations from the winners of the 2022 National Research Competition for secondary and tertiary school students, showcasing research focused on mental health and its role in nation-building. This is part of SURPIN’s aim of getting young people involved in the discussion around promoting mental health and preventing suicide.
In attendance was the Hon Commissioner for Health for Lagos State, Prof Akin Abayomi who was ably represented by the Director/Head of Special Projects & Mental Health at Lagos State Government and long-time supporter of SURPIN, Dr Tolu Ajomale; and the Hon Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology for Lagos State Mr Olatubosun Alake, who was ably represented by Deputy Director, Mrs Oluremilekun George-Ashiru. The conference was chaired by Dr Oyekanmi, a seasoned consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun state, while the Chief Host was Prof Afolabi Lesi, the Chair of the board of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) & former Provost of the College of Medicine University of Lagos, and the Special Guest of Honour was Prof Moruf Adelekan, a mentor and seasoned professor of psychiatry. Distinguished and special guests also included the Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, the chairperson for the Nigerian Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group (NSPAWG), Prof Taiwo Sheikh, the President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), Prof Taiwo James Obindo; the Medical Director of Biogenerics Nig Ltd, Pharm Osak Uwubanmwen, Adeyemi Oladeji, National Project Officer (Health and Wellbeing) UNESCO National Office, Abuja, Ms Aduke Gomez (Chair, Art 4 Life, Lagos state ministry of health) and Angie Tarr Nyakoon, a Community Mental Health Professional and a Former Director for Mental Health Program at Ministry of Health Liberia.
The conference started with the welcome address from the SURPIN President, Dr Arit Esangbedo, who linked the conference theme to the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) theme for 2024 – 2026 of “Changing the Narrative on Suicide Prevention”, commemorating the World Suicide Prevention Day. The Chief Host highlighted the steadfastness of SURPIN since its humble beginnings in 2017 and how it continues to save lives through its various activities. The Special Guest of Honour, who is also a SURPIN Ambassador, invited all stakeholders to work together to achieve a mentally healthy society. The Chairperson, officially opened the conference with her address, highlighting the impact that suicide has on the society, the rate of about 7 in 100,00 people in Nigeria, the fact that it is preventable but stigma prevents access to care for many and the need to address stigma and work together to address the contributing factors. The goodwill message from the Hon Commissioner for Health reiterated the respect that the ministry has for the work SURPIN has been doing, commending the organisation for the successful transfer of its leadership, and he highlighted how mental health is indeed everything, how research will drive implementation of tailored services that can be effective, commending the efforts of SURPIN to foster mental health awareness and promote suicide prevention, as well as the state ministry’s happiness to support SURPIN. In the goodwill message from the Hon Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, the strides made by SURPIN since inception was acknowledged as well as the importance of social awareness, responsibility, and youth engagement in the task of mental health promotion towards nation-building, as well as the Lagos State ministry’s willingness to support making the youth effective contributors to a healthy society. Other goodwill messages from Dr Owoeye (MD FNPH, Yaba) commended SURPIN; Prof Sheikh (chairperson NSPAWG) emphasized the need to decriminalise suicide attempt; Mr Oladeji of UNESCO reiterated that suicide is real and that the organisation is keen to work with SURPIN and Prof Osafo (the chairperson of the Partnership for Life arm of IASP) who joined from Ghana, reiterated the need for more regional and continental collaboration because suicide prevention is everyone’s business.
The guest lecturer/keynote speaker, a teacher, professor of psychiatry and erudite scholar, Prof Jude Ohaeri, took centre stage to deliver a powerful and thought-provoking lecture that educated on what research is including it being a dissatisfaction with uncertainty; how it can help tackle rumour mongering, mental laziness, superstitious beliefs and material corruption; how research can be many things including being an attitude, a culture, a glamour, a social value, and a profession; not the monopoly of science; the role of research; how ubiquitous and widely applicable research is; and the importance of ethics, scientific curiosity and the need for unrelenting scientific rigor.
There were over 90 participants, including students from various institutions such as Methodist Girls High School, Lagos, Kwara State University, School of Post basic Mental Health Nursing, Maiduguri, and University of Ilorin, University of Lagos, the WAYAS counselling and training service from The Gambia, Caritas University.
The participants were taken through a presentation on the research work by the schools that conducted research after emerging as winners from the SURPIN 2022 national conference for which they were given seed money. The research work showcased a variety of studies including qualitative, quantitative research as well as a project review. The topics focused on a range of aspects affecting young people.
Secondary school: name/team
|
|
University of Ilorin Secondary Sch. Unilorin Secondary School
| Level, Factor and Coping Strategy of Depression Among Secondary School Students in Ilorin, Kwara State |
Team Nkemu. Chiemezie Umeh
| A Quantitative Study on the Prevalence and Effects of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Among Nigerian Youths |
Tertiary school: name/team
| Title |
School of Post Basic Mental Health Nursing Maduguri. Chukwu Perpetual Ndidiamaka | Knowledge of suicide prevention and management among patients, A Case Study of Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri |
University of Ilorin. Obansa Nimah Ismail | The Mental Health Implications of Incessant Strikes on Nigerian students, A Case Study of University of Ilorin Medical Students. |
University of Ibadan. Omeonu Nellychris Chiamaka
| Perceptions About Depression Among Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disease in Ibadan, Oyo State |
Aliyu Mukhtar Usman – Ahmadu BelloUniversity | Peer Support and Recovery Program |
Conclusions from the research work include:
1. A significant percentage of students suffer from mild depression, with the main stressors being high expectations from parents or teachers and pressure to perform well academically.
It is imperative to take proactive steps to address mental health difficulties within educational settings.
2. The need for increased mental health resources and support systems in educational institutions and communities.
There is a critical need for targeted intervention programs to address the academic and social challenges faced by youths suffering from PTSD.
The importance of early identification and continuous support to help affected individuals manage PTSD and its consequences effectively.
3. The need for continuous education around suicide; realistic policies to protect all mental health and suicidal patients; and health insurance programmes for mental health patients
4. The socio-economic impact of incessant strikes has a significant relationship to suicide ideation among university of Ilorin medical students.
Incessant strikes have a strong correlation with depression and suicide ideation among undergraduate students.
5. The Persons Living with Sickle Cell Disease (PLWSCD) often perceive their condition as a significant contributor to depression. There are unique cultural perspectives, such as the spiritual interpretations of SCD and depression. PLWSCD can have early childhood experiences of feeling different or depressed due to their condition.
6. Peer Support is an evidence-based, critical intervention approach towards addressing substance abuse, especially among young people, because any behaviour exhibited by young people in schools is likely to be replicated in the communities.
These conclusions should help re-focus school mental health programmes at various levels.
The moderator, Dr Ayotunde Omotosho (a psychiatrist) excellently marshalled the event and succinctly captured the messages and discussions.
Dr Oladipo Adepoju (a senior psychiatrist and member of SURPIN in the diaspora) gave the vote of thanks, while the SURPIN Founder, Dr Raphael Ogbolu, informed the participants that SURPIN will be inviting stakeholders to a suicide prevention strategy meeting, borne out of the need to remodel our approach to suicide prevention, beyond approaches that target prevention and intervention, but to now include postvention and collaborative intelligence. He also reiterated how the SURPIN hotlines remain active in providing crisis intervention and gave an example that for the week 16th of September, the hotline received 24 calls.
SURPIN announced that the commitment to promoting youth research in mental health will continue by awarding seed money to one secondary school and one tertiary institution to conduct research over the next one year. The awardees will be the secondary school and the tertiary institution with the most attendance at this conference.
Recommendations & conclusions from the conference include:
1. Suicide prevention is indeed everyone’s business
2. Suicide remains a global and national health concern
3. SURPIN continues to lead as the most structured suicide prevention organisation in the country
4. The SURPIN hotlines continues to save lives
5. If given the opportunity, young people and churn out valuable research
6. There is benefit in getting young people involved in research from an early stage
7. There continues to be room for improvement on stakeholder collaboration around suicide
8. There is need for more multi-sector collaboration
9. There is need for regional and continental cooperation
10. There is not enough sharing of knowledge and lessons learned
11. It is key to develop new, or review existing, school mental health programmes, beginning at state levels
12. Task & Finish groups may be more effective at driving change rather than timeless committees
13. In the face of brain-drain, the virtual world makes it possible to tap into the experiences of diasporans in mental health.
Action plan: SURPIN will be holding a stakeholder suicide prevention strategy meeting to explore key recommendations and to champion the need for improved intelligence and information sharing.
SURPIN expresses its profound gratitude to all the participants and organizations that participated and contributed to the success of the conference.
Signed
Dr. Raphael Ogbolu Dr Arit Esangbedo
Founder/CEO President
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