Foundation Restates Commitment To Mental Health Services

A non-governmental organisation, Asido Foundation has restated its commitment to bolster a multi-layered approach to mental health education and service delivery in Nigeria.

The foundation which has been in the vanguard of improving healthcare across Nigerian communities was honoured with the Innovative Research, Training, or Practice in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) Award at the esteemed 6th Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH) Awards 2024, held recently in the United Kingdom.

The ACAMH Awards, hosted by the UK-based global mental health charity and professional body, celebrate exceptional contributions to child and adolescent mental health worldwide.

International officer at ACAMH, Dr Soumitra Datta, said “Dr Jibril and Asido Foundation have achieved remarkable success in promoting mental health literacy and well-being, particularly among children and adolescents in Nigeria.

Asido Foundation has taken on the immense challenge of addressing stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health through advocacy and direct intervention.

“The innovative and impactful strategies implemented by Asido Foundation offer a replicable model with demonstrated impact, setting a new benchmark in youth mental health advocacy.”

Accepting the award, the chief executive officer and founder of Asido Foundation, Dr Jibril Abdumalik expressed his gratitude, saying, “This is a truly special honour and privilege. We recognise that our greatest challenges are ignorance, shame, and stigma which stand as barriers that prevent people from seeking help.

“Many young people suffer in silence, hidden away due to these misconceptions. Our mission is to break down these barriers so children and adolescents can access the care they need without shame or stigma. We view this recognition as a call to action, and we are deeply committed to doing even more in the future to support mental health in our communities.”