By Aisha Gambo
IDIMMA health Initiative, in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Medical Services(NPMS), on Thursday trained police officers in Kaduna State on psychological first aid to address cases involving mental health.
The two- day training was aimed at equipping the police officers with skills that would make them identify mental health issues and handle them well.
Executive Director of the initiative, Aisha Buba, said the police were critical stakeholders who meet with different crisis.
“There is an urgent need for them to understand mental health, suicide and psychological first aid.
“Suicide is a criminal offence in Nigeria, one is likely to get up to one year jail term when caught.
“But when we collaborate with police officers to help them understand that suicide is a mental health crisis not a crime, they are more likely to respond better and provide appropriate support.”
Buba added that by the end of the training, the police officers would be able to identify people who need mental health care faster and ensure that they get that care before adequately.
According to her, Nigeria has a high population of people suffering from different types of mental illness such as anxiety disorder, depression and stress related disorder.
She lamented the low number of psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals in the country.
Buba stressed the need for the training of other stakeholders such as the police to reduce the burden.
She said that after the training, participants would be able to offer some basic mental health support as first aid before a patient access hospital care.
In his remark, the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the training was very important to police officers as it would enhance their knowledge on mental health.
“Anything that has to do with our health and training of people in order for them to get the concept and extend it to others is of great importance .
“The benefits are not only for the police but for the people,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reportS that more than 50 police officers benefited from the training, representing different divisions across the state.(NAN)
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