Former Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has called for increased attention to mental health and elderly care across the nation.
He made the call at the weekend after visiting the Seraphic Psychiatric and Elderly Home in Aguleri, Anambra State built by Evangelist Ebuka Obi.
The former Anambra State Governor had earlier met Evangelist Obi at Lagos Airport before visiting the facility, which he described as a noble initiative that demonstrates compassion and a commitment to serving humanity.
Highlighting the significance of the facility, Obi referenced a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report indicating that over 20 million Nigerians currently live with mental health challenges arising from economic hardship and stress.
He stressed that mental health should be taken seriously, noting his administration’s investment in the Nawfia Psychiatric Hospital through the provision of modern buildings and equipment.
The former governor dismissed misconceptions that psychiatric facilities portray a community negatively, explaining that such investments are vital in societies that genuinely care for their people.
He further expressed concern about the growing menace of drug abuse among youths, recommending that secondary school students undertake excursions to psychiatric facilities to better understand the dangers of substance abuse.
On the elderly home component, Obi described it as a restoration of dignity and respect to senior citizens who are often neglected.
He emphasised that caring for the aged is not merely charity but a moral duty and a true measure of society’s humanity.
Peter Obi with Evangelist Ebuka Obi at the Seraphic Psychiatric and Elderly Home in Aguleri, Anambra State.
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