WHO Partners AIHWA on Mental Health, calls for confidence in vaccines

It was a gathering of various selected personalities at the AIHWA  Integrated Medical Clinic, Ngor-Okpala LGA, last  weekend,  for  a  participatory mental health sensitization  programme being organized by The American Initiative For Health and Wellness In Africa(AIHWA), in conjunction  with World Health Organisation(WHO).

The gathered stakeholders who were drawn from the security structure,  the traditional institution, the religious body and  health institution extensively took time  to  exchange ideas relating to mental health  issues in conformity  with the celebration of the World Health Mental Day.

Speaking to some newsmen immediately after the event,  the WHO  Surveillance Officer in Imo State, Dr. Adeniyi Adeniran, who represented the Imo state WHO Director, Dr. Wadzing  William Bass, stated that his coming with his WHO team to take part in the activities  commemorating  the 2025 World Mental Health  Day   was aimed at improving access to health care services even in the midst of crisis, emergency and catastrophe.

The Surveillance Officer also posited that the existence of both  humanitarian and  natural crises  in virtually every community would generally lead to flooding and other climatic challenges which could   eventually   escalate into  different forms of diseases, adding that such a situation would be promoted towards attracting the  WHO’s  emergency medical assistance  through vaccination which might be rejected by some persons  in respect to their held  misconception about the  provided vaccines.

He therefore advised people not to entertain any fear of distrust while taking  any WHO’s available vaccines in any emergency situation, stressing that they (vaccines) are safe.

Adeniyi re-emphasized  WHO’s regular readiness in  seeking the support of the traditional rulers, health workers, religious leaders and security personnel in creating a support system for the people of various  communities to strive to protect every available health infrastructure in their midst.

The state WHO’s Director’s representative  equally reaffirmed that the provided support system would easily encourage the vulnerable people, pregnant women, children, HIV patients, other disease sufferers and the elderly  to  have uninterrupted access to health care services during crises without becoming victims themselves.

Dr. Adeniyi opined that WHO has strongly been engaged in carrying an advocacy for the above four mentioned   stakeholders to come together in supporting immunization and vaccination campaigns so as to prevent any disease outbreaks.

He expressed delight for the choice of  aihwa Integrated medical Clinic for this year’s  World Mental Health  Day, owing to its identified major contributions in human mental health support and management in Imo state as overtly recognized by the state government,

He pointed out  that the support of WHO to  iahwa centre would continue to serve as a source of an encouragement for her  to do more in mental health management, commending the  good relationship existing between the WHO and government at both the state and federal level.

In their own separate submissions during a brief chat with the media, the  two traditional rulers in attendance, HRH Eze Bannabas Obirieze and  HRH Eze Duru Nwokeke from Ngor-Okpala LGA appreciated the organized  seminar and promised to make use of the  obtained knowledge to influence their communities positively  in area of encouraging them to accept WHO’s powered  vaccination without any baise.

The  highpoint of the event was the presentation of a keynote address by Rev Fr. Kenny Udumka, Cssp, the president of AIHWA  International, with the title:  Stigmatization and Mental  Health Diagnostic Framework in Nigeria.