By Mumini AbdulKareem
Kwara State Government has restated its commitment to support people oriented programmes that will ameliorate the mental health psychosocial issues of people in the state.
The State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq stated this on Tuesday at a stakeholders Training Workshop on Mental Health Psychosocial support organised by the Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency (KWSCDA), held in Ilorin.
Governor Abdulrazaq who was represented by the state Commissioner for Finance and Planning, Mrs Florence Olasumbo Oyeyemi said the event marked an important milestone in development strides of the state as regards Mental Health Psychosocial support to help vulnerable individuals as a result of the present COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The Governor noted that the training would provide operators with the requisite skill and knowledge to tackle and provide service in a professional manner.
He appreciated the federal government and World Bank for the inclusion of Mental Health Psychosocial support Service programme into Community and Social Development project to assist the people of the state.
Abdulrazaq enjoined the people of the state to make good use of the opportunity by keying into the programme for the benefit of all.
‘‘Those that are here for the training are those that will reach out to the people in the grassroots who are the poor and vulnerable. By this training they will be armed with the required education and skills to ensure the people have the mental awareness to stay fit during this pandemic‘‘, she noted.
Earlier, the General Manager, KWSCDA, Engr Amamat Oluwatoyin Haruna said the aim and objective of the training workshop is to ensure that emergency response are dignified, participatory, community owned, socially and culturally acceptable.
She added that the programme is to ensure that people suffering from moderate or severe mental disorders would have access to essential mental health services and social care.
Engr Haruna however commended the state Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for supporting the agency to increase access of poor people to social infrastructure and natural resources.
