By Emmanuel Umahi
In an effort to address the pressing issue of mental health among university students, the Jos University Medical Students Association (JUMSA), in collaboration with the Technical Office of Mental Health Advocacy (MHA) and the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NIMSA), is set to host the Mental Health Advocacy Training 2024.
The event is scheduled to take place on the 4th of May, 2024, at the Main Campus, Bauchi Road, University of Jos by 10 am.
The training aims to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to understand and cope with common mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress. It will also focus on developing coping strategies, fostering self-care habits, providing peer support for friends with mental health challenges, and cultivating a positive mental health culture within the university community.
Tsakpa Charles Tsakpa, a 500L student and Chairman of the Mental Health Committee told Unijos Echo that he hopes that the event would have a significant impact on the university community by raising awareness about mental health disorders and promoting timely intervention and support.
“This event is coming at a crucial time, which is very needed amongst members of the university community. It is very important that an event such as this is available for the student community to know what mental issues truly are and how to provide timely response to them”, he said.
He added, “Also, one goal we are trying to achieve at the end of this event is building and fostering a strong community around mental health that will lead to overcoming its challenges”.
According to recent reports by Salt House, between 2016 – 2019, about 6.0 million young persons, age between 13 – 17 are sufferings from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder popularly called ADHD, while about 5.8 million are suffering from Anxiety, another 5.5 million are suffering from behaviour problems and 2.7 million are suffering from depression all of which are not unconnected to mental health disorder.
These statistics underscore the urgent need for initiatives like the Mental Health Advocacy Training 2024 to address the growing mental health crisis among university students.
The organizers encourage all members of the university community to participate in this important event and join hands in building a supportive and inclusive environment for mental health awareness and advocacy.
