Israel Oluyemi
A Consultant Psychiatrist, Prof. Taiwo Obindo, has raised concern over the rising cost of mental health treatment and its impact on access to care across Nigeria.
He spoke in Lagos during an interview, where he attributed the increase in treatment costs to inflation, economic hardship, fuel subsidy removal, and the exit or downsizing of pharmaceutical companies.
He said the situation has made it difficult for many patients to afford care, noting that “the cost of healthcare in Nigeria generally has become so high, making it difficult for an average person to access the needed care.”
Obindo explained that many individuals undergoing mental health treatment now struggle to maintain prescriptions due to financial pressure.
He warned that “failure to adhere to prescriptions or under-dosing medication can have a lot of implications on the patient,” including relapse and worsening symptoms.
He added that some patients either skip medication entirely or reduce dosage, which undermines recovery and long-term stability.
He also stated that “individuals undergoing treatment… are finding it difficult to keep up with the cost of treatment,” stressing that the burden continues to affect outcomes.
The psychiatrist noted that the challenge extends beyond patients, affecting families and reducing productivity in society.
To address the issue, he called for expanded health insurance coverage and urged authorities to widen the NHIS drug list to include more mental health medications.
He also recommended government support for drug importation and incentives for local pharmaceutical firms to help reduce costs.
Obindo further advocated integrating mental healthcare into primary health services to improve access, especially in underserved communities.