Victims of stampede suffering from mental health – Expert
An Assistant Director of Social Welfare at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Seye Makinde, says victims of the recent stampede incidents in some parts of the country were suffering from mental health issues occasioned by the poor economy.
Makinde disclosed this at an outreach organised by members of the Junior Chambers International, Abeokuta and Rehoboth Ezzy Homes, for inmates at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Borstal Training Institute located in the Adigbe area of Abeokuta, Ogun State on Wednesday.
According to Makinde, the poor economic situation of the country has had mental effects on Nigerians, leading to a situation of survival, which prompted them to seek food even in difficult places.
The social worker noted that these quests for survival led to some persons becoming victims of stampede.
Makinde said, “When we talk about mental health, we must consider a lot of things, and part of it is mental health. When an individual is lacking in basic things such as food or housing, it is because of poor economic power, which often leads to stress and a precedence for mental health problems.
“This issue metamorphosed into people going to find a means of survival by spending their children to get palliative which resulted in a stampede.
“When people lack socioeconomic power, it contributes to mental health. Most people who had gone to the places where food was shared led to stampedes did so because they did not have the economic power to feed themselves.”
He urged the government at all levels to prioritise uplifting the standards of living of the people while stressing the need for proper parenting.
“The way forward is that government must do well to improve the quality of life of the citizens. Parents also need to do more in training their wards.
“As you can see, we have many of the inmates to be victims of drug abuse. So parents have a lot to do in the upbringing of their wards,” Makinde said
In his remark, the President of JCI Abeokuta, Olabamiji Fashola, noted that the decision to visit the Correctional Centre was part of the club’s ICare programme which aims to reach out to vulnerable members of the society.
Fashola noted that the club recognised the prevalence of drug abuse, which has been a major contributor to social vices in the country, thereby informing the selection of the Borstal Institute for its outreach.
“This initiative is part of our ICare programme, and we have decided to come here because we understand that the inmates here are part of the larger society which we can not neglect.
“JCI creed include service to humanity, and that’s why we have come to speak to these people and donate items that will help them overcome drug addiction because drug abuse is a major issue in the country,” Makinde added.
The highlight of the outreach included the donation of medical equipment and food items to the inmates.
