Emergency hotlines have a crucial role to play in improving access to mental health services, particularly in countries where these services are in short supply. This is the case in Nigeria, where in one study one in every four people reported one or more types of mental illness. In a country of 200 million people, there are fewer than 150 psychiatrists, and less than 10% of mentally ill Nigerians have access to the care they need.
This treatment gap is a result of shortages of mental health professionals and neuropsychiatric hospitals . Nigeria has not actively pursued installing hotlines to support people in need of mental health support. The idea is relatively new in developing countries, including Nigeria.
Mental health illnesses are largely left untreated, or treatment is sought from alternative health providers . In 2017, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital started an initiative to prevent suicide through research, crisis intervention, health education and early treatment of depression and drug abuse. The Nigerian based Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative set up a hotline system in Nigeria to respond to those in need of mental health services.
The initiative now has a presence in 35 of 36 states, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, and branches in 51 health institutions in the country. The initiative trained counsellors to receive calls, handle mental health cases, and refer complicated ones to mental health professionals. They also provide follow-.