In a bid to address the often-neglected psychological scars of catastrophe and displacement, the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), in collaboration with the Purple Hands Empowerment Initiative, has concluded a two-day outreach for the residents of Kuchigoro Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to mark this year’s World Mental Health Day.
The event, which was built around the global theme “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophe and Emergencies,” featured a mental health walk, awareness sessions, and free screenings, targeting the general public and one of the capital’s most vulnerable communities.
On the first day, healthcare professionals and volunteers embarked on a sensitisation walk within the hospital premises, followed by lectures on trauma and coping mechanisms.
The second day, the outreach moved to the Kuchigoro IDP Camp, offering free mental health screening, one-on-one counselling and resilience training to the camp residents.
At the event, the deputy head of Clinical Services at FMC Jabi, Dr Olugbenga Abiodun, who represented the medical director, Professor Sa’ad Ahmed, stated that the initiative was a core part of the hospital’s community-focused mandate.
“We are passionate about reaching out to communities around us, creating awareness, and providing free healthcare services.
“Sustainability is key in any healthcare plan, so we intend to partner with local primary healthcare centres to build their capacity to deliver mental health care and send our residents periodically to support their work,” he said.
The collaboration highlighted the critical link between mental well-being and overall community development.
The founder of the Purple Hands Empowerment Initiative, Dr Brenda Max Nduaguibe, explained that their work in underserved communities since 2016 revealed that empowerment is intrinsically tied to mental health.
“Through this work, we discovered that true empowerment begins with mental wholeness. A mentally sound woman is better positioned to contribute to her family and society.
“Unfortunately, stigma and lack of awareness still create barriers, so sensitisation like this helps break that cloud of silence and misunderstanding around mental health,” he said.
The outreach was hailed as a milestone in decentralising mental health discourse in Nigeria.
Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, a renowned mental health expert and former president of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, was present to lend his weight to the initiative.
“It is fulfilling to see mental health being discussed openly, especially among vulnerable groups like internally displaced persons.
“Creating access starts with awareness, helping people understand what mental health and mental illness are. This initiative is a beginning and must be sustained and made inclusive,” he said.
The event ended with the residents of Kuchigoro Camp receiving counselling, a rare opportunity for many who have endured the trauma of displacement with limited psychological support.
