Hardship/Hunger: NGO launches mental healthcare outreach in Bomadi, tasks indigenes to take life easy

***Mental health key to healthy living—Mr Ofurobiri

In a bid to douse prevalent life challenges in the hearts of Deltans occasioned by the current economic hardship Nigerians are faced with, Eye on the Future Initiative, (EFI), a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) of professionals in various fields of endeavour, on Tuesday launched a mental healthcare outreach at Bomadi, headquarters of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.

The programme launched in collaboration with the Bomadi local government council was themed in pidgin English: “Nor Go Kill Yourself, E Go Better”, meaning “Don’t go and kill yourself, it will be better”, which was held at the council secretariat.

The programme, however, featured medical tests on the health statuses of average citizens, proper recommendations and an advice to take life easy despite the current economic situation of the country.

Speaking to newsmen, during the exercise, the executive director of EFI, Comrade Josephine Omordior, noted that the outreach programme was born out of the NGO’s desire to address the mental healthcare concerns and needs of the people.

“As it is in the country, so many people are passing through hardship, stress and many other life challenges, making people to slip into depression and other emotional harms and that is why we came up with the programme with the theme, “Nor Go Kill Yourself, E Go Better” to encourage the people that there is still hope for tomorrow and that is why we are imploring the people to join us as we promote mental wellness for a brighter future”.

“What is commonly happening now as a result of the adverse economic situation is people just slumping and dying, most especially because of high blood pressure. So, what is going on today is to enable people check their blood pressure to know their health statuses”, she said.

The chairman, Board of Trustees of EFI, Comrade Victor Sorokwu, on his part disclosed that the frustrations and depressions of citizens prompted the organization to launch the programme.

He said: “We decided to undertake this outreach programme because we know the situation the country is in today, there is so much of frustrations and depressions arising from economic hardship orchestrated by policies of government, not just the present government but successive governments.

“God has given us abundant resources but what we are lacking is good and proper leadership, and that is why we took time to partner with the Bomadi Local Government Council because we have found in the chairman of council a leader that has a heart for the people, a leader that is reaching out to his people to motivate them.

“We have found in Hon. Dagidi Andaye, the chairman of council as one leader that has a bleeding heart for his people and that is why we brought this campaign to Bomadi local government area.

“A healthy mind is a prosperous being and if your mental state breaks down, the whole body breaks down and what we are doing today is to motivate and mobilize the grassroots because it is the grassroots that feed the nation.

The secretary to the local government council, Mr Famous Ofurobiri, who represented Bomadi Council Boss, Hon Rawlings Dagidi Andaye, commended members of EFI for starting the programme from Bomadi, stressing that it was initiated at the right time.

He urged Bomadians to avoid issues of life that would lead them fall into depression in relation to the theme of the programme.

He said: “People should avoid issues of life that would lead them fall into depression just as the theme of the programme says, Nor Go Kill Yourself, E Go Better.

“Our chairman of council is on top of it all as you can see that behind us is the ongoing Skills Acquisition/Empowerment Programme. All these are to leverage on the citizens of Bomadi local government area.

“All the efforts of council are to see that the people will have motivation in spite of the hardship around. After this training programme here, participants will be self-sufficient and self-reliant.

“However, mental healthcare is key to healthy living because you have to be mentally alright all the time, hence, this programme is a welcome development in a time like this. It is a good programme and that is why our chairman decided to partner with the Eye on the Future Initiative”.

In the same vein, the Supervisor for Health, Hon. Adaka Amame-eniye, describing the programme as a welcome development to the people of the local government area urged indigenes to take life easy despite the harsh economy.

“This programme is a welcome development as many are going through untold mental and physical hardships. I advise all to come out and do the needful to know their health statuses and take the necessary advice and precautions”, he said.

Moreover, a cross section of those who participated in the programme lauded the NGO and the Bomadi local government council for showing concerns over the health of the people.

Mrs Patience Talent and Mrs Okerede William, participants who spoke to newsmen after their checkups, said that they were given proper advice on how to guard against issues not to affect their blood pressures adversely.

“We came here to test our health statuses, which is free of charge and after the tests, the lady advised me to reduce eating fatty foods. She also said my BP is normal”, Mrs William said.

Our Correspondent reports that the highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of a plaque to the chairman of council, Hon. Andaye, as patron of EFI and was received on behalf of the Bomadi Council Boss by the Secretary to the local government ( SLG), Mr Famous Ofurobiri.

According to our Correspondent also, apart from the medical checks on the people by medical personnel put together by EFI, the Programme also featured road walk along major roads in Bomadi town to educate the people on the need to take their mental health seriously.