Medical experts have called for a multi-sectoral approach to tackling mental health challenges in Nigeria, urging the federal government to declare a state of emergency on mental health and drug abuse in the country.

The experts made the call during an awareness walk in Abeokuta yesterday, the Ogun State capital, where they raised concerns over the growing burden of mental health challenges and the stigma faced by people living with mental health conditions.

The medical personnel urged Nigerians to stop discriminating against people with mental health challenges and encouraged those affected to speak out and seek professional help rather than suffer in silence.

The experts also called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, parents, traditional and religious leaders, healthcare professionals, and other critical stakeholders to address the underlying causes of mental health problems, particularly drug abuse.

Speaking during the awareness campaign, Dr Abayomi Olajide, a consultant psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, stressed the need for concerted efforts to confront mental health challenges and substance abuse.

Olajide said addressing the problem required the involvement of all sectors of society, noting that drug abuse had become a major contributor to mental health challenges.

The acting Medical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, Sunday Amosun, also called for greater awareness and collective action to address mental health challenges and curb drug abuse.

He urged parents and other stakeholders to pay closer attention to the mental well-being of young people and take early signs of substance abuse and mental health difficulties seriously.

Amosun further appealed to traditional and religious leaders to use their influence to educate communities, discourage drug abuse, and challenge misconceptions surrounding mental illness.

The awareness walk formed part of efforts to promote public understanding of mental health, encourage early intervention, and reduce the stigma that often prevents people from seeking treatment.

The expert maintained that mental health should be treated as a public health priority, warning that failure to address the problem could have wider consequences for families, communities, and the country at large.

The medic called for sustained public education, improved access to mental healthcare, and stronger measures to prevent substance abuse, alongside a coordinated response from government and other stakeholders.