Global Mental Health Reforms: Mental Health Care in Anglophone West Africa
Abstract
This column describes the current state of resources and practice in mental health care in the Anglophone countries of West Africa: the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, and Liberia. Information was systematically gathered from the five countries by using a standard framework for country situation analysis. Mental health services, which are in various stages of development, are characterized by inadequate human resources and long policy neglect. Despite the low numbers of specialists, the region has made important contributions to community service development and global mental health research. Challenges include manpower development, policy and legislation updates, and increased attention to policy and budget. Although mental health service is still grossly inadequate in the context of human and material constraints, there are slowly evolving signs of positive modernization and service development.
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Nigeria has a severe shortage of mental health specialists and services.
“With only 250 psychiatrists for 200 million people, one psychologist per 2 million people, one psychiatric nurse per 103,000 people, and no dedicated government funding for community mental health centers (Esan et al., 2014; APN, 2023), Nigeria exemplifies the severe lack of mental health specialists and services that is prominent in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Kakuma et al., 2”
From Integrating mental health into primary care in Nigeria: Implementation outcomes and clinical impact of the <i>HAPPINESS</i> intervention (2024) · cites this paper as Esan et al., 2014
Cites
Jablensky, A., Sartorius, N., Ernberg, G., Anker, M., Korten, A., Cooper, J. E., Day, R., & Bertelsen, A. (1992) · Psychological Medicine. Monograph Supplement · doi:10.1017/s0264180100000904 · Cited by 1,769 · see citing works
Wang, P. S., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M. C., Borges, G., Bromet, E. J., Bruffaerts, R., de Girolamo, G., de Graaf, R., Gureje, O., et al. (2007) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(07)61414-7 · Cited by 1,655 · see citing works
Self-citationGureje, O., Lasebikan, V. O., Kola, L., & Makanjuola, V. A. (2006) · British Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/bjp.188.5.465 · Cited by 363 · see citing works
Self-citationAbdulmalik, J., Kola, L., Fadahunsi, W., Adebayo, K., Yasamy, M. T., Musa, E., & Gureje, O. (2013) · PLoS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001501 · Cited by 104 · see citing works
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Fabian, K., Fannoh, J., Washington, G. G., Geninyan, W. B., Nyachienga, B., Cyrus, G., Hallowanger, J. N., Beste, J., Rao, D., & Wagenaar, B. H. (2018) · Culture Medicine and Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s11013-018-9581-z · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Iheanacho, T., Chu, C., Aguocha, C. M., Nwefoh, E., & Dike, C. (2024) · Cambridge Prisms Global Mental Health · doi:10.1017/gmh.2024.4 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
- Authors
- Esan, O., Abdumalik, J., Eaton, J., Kola, L., Fadahunsi, W., & Gureje, O.
- Venue
- Psychiatric Services
- Published
- 2014-09
- Volume
- 65
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1084-1087
- ISSN
- 0022-1597 (ISSN-L)
- 1075-2730
- 1557-9700
- OpenAlex
- W2066224227
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 2.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychiatric Services (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- CBM International
- Pan African University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Historical Psychiatry and Medical Practices
- Keywords
- global mental health, mental health services, mental health policy, mental health professionals, mental health law, community mental health services, mental health funding, Anglophone West Africa
- MeSH terms
- Workforce, Mental Disorders, Gambia, Ghana, Humans, Liberia, Mental Health, Mental Health Services, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Global Health
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