Abayomi Calls for Responsible Media Reporting of Mental Health Issues
Professor Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health has urged governments and Nigerian health professionals among other stakeholders to drive the conversation around responsible media reporting of mental health issues.
Abayomi who spoke at the 2nd Vanguard Mental Health Summit in Lagos, with the theme: “Mental Health in a Distressed Economy”, noted that irresponsible media reporting worsens stigma around mental disorders as well affects access to treatment by populations at risk.
Speaking through the Head of the Mental Health Desk, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Tolu Ajomale, Abayomi said a lot of work and advocacy needs to be done in terms of having more focused engagement with our media experts to begin to explore how they can bring out mental health information without worsening the impact it has on the population at risk, “but also to help and encourage people that need assistance and support.”
Lamenting the barrage of media reporting of cases of attempted suicide in Lagos, the commissioner said: “One particular area is the issue around suicide.
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There has been a lot of work and advocacy around changing the terminology, saying ‘people are committing suicide because suicide is not a crime to say people ‘ending their lives by suicide.
“More importantly, is also the way that message is also being interpreted by the media. Sometimes in Lagos, we find some of the media persons who would want to give out their names, where they live and the job they do and where they work, their families etc. Such reports even worsen the stigma that the person is facing.”
Continuing, Abayomi said another area that needs change is especially around substance abuse, which he acknowledged, that the numbers are increasing.
“National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has been doing enormous work to stop the supply. In the past, it is said that Africa, especially Nigeria used to be a transit country for a lot of the substances that are being abused.
He said for stakeholders working in the area of substance abuse, there was a need to change the messaging during advocacy activities.
