Meet the religious sister battling the mental health crisis in Nigeria

UYO, Nigeria (OSV News) — In March 2000, 46-year-old Aniette Asuquo began experiencing severe mental health struggles that led to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Initially, she sought spiritual help at various prayer houses for over a year before being admitted to Divine Providence Home, a faith-based organization in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.

After treatment, she was discharged, but she relapsed seven years later. She roamed the streets of Uyo until the sisters at Divine Providence took her in again in 2019, where she began her journey of recovery.

“It was the second time the sisters would be caring for me,” Asuquo told OSV News. “I had struggled with the condition for years until 2019 when the sisters found me and brought me home here.”

Nigeria faces a mental health crisis exacerbated by economic hardship and insecurity, with a shortage of psychiatrists serving its population of over 220 million. With only about 200 psychiatrists in the country, mental health issues remain largely stigmatized, leading to a reluctance to seek professional help.

Raphael Akpan, a psychiatric nurse at Divine Providence, said that this stigma makes reintegration into society difficult for those recovering from mental illness, as many face disbelief or hostility even after treatment.

“Many Nigerians view mental illness through a distorted lens, treating it differently from other health conditions. This negative perception can be so intense that even when a patient has been treated and is ready to return home, especially those who were once homeless, they might be met with disbelief or hostility,” said Akpan, working in collaboration with the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul at the home for mentally ill women.

“So, over the years, our efforts have focused on caring for these patients while also educating the public that mental illness should not be stigmatized, and when we help our patients, they often share their positive experiences with others,” she said.

Nigeria is among Africa’s most impacted countries in regard to depression with more than 7 million people suffering from the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

The Divine Providence Home, established in 1986 by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, provides psychiatric care for indigent women in Uyo. Sister Elma Mary Ekewuba, who manages the facility, says the home offers both inpatient and outpatient care, including medication, psychotherapy and recreational therapy to support patients’ well-being. They also provide vocational training, accommodation and spiritual care.

Because of cultural stereotypes and lack of professional help over mental illness, patients often arrive at the sister’s house from desperate conditions at home.

“A good example is a woman who had been chained in her home for four years and was brought to us by family members. Someone had suggested they seek help from us upon realizing the dire situation,” Sister Elma Mary told OSV News.

Since the woman was aggressive, when the family approached Sister Elma Mary for assistance, she insisted they remove the chains before admitting her into the facility, “as we do not accept patients in restraints. Although they argued that she was very violent, we stood firm, and they eventually complied. Once she was admitted, we provided the necessary care, and after about four months, she returned home with her husband and children, much improved.”

Meanwhile, Asuquo’s recovery is ongoing, but she is being trained in tailoring to help her restart her life. Sister Elma Mary and her team plan to visit her family to facilitate her reintegration into her community. However, despite their efforts, the home faces challenges due to inadequate transportation, funding and access to essential medications. The team relies on public transportation to assist patients but requires better resources to ensure continuous care.

But despite their dedication, the facility’s need for support is urgent, and Sister Elma Mary emphasizes the importance of partnerships to improve their services, including providing necessary medications, renovating facilities and offering transport to patients in need.

Without more assistance, their ability to support mental health patients in Akwa Ibom remains limited.

“We are open to support and partnerships. … Currently, we use the public transport system which is not sustainable. So, we need a vehicle, preferably a bus to convey the patients from their homes to our facility when they are ill and need admission and also follow up with them when they are discharged,” she told OSV News.

The outpatient clinic also needs assistance because the patients “sometimes find it difficult to come because of their inability to afford the high costs of transportation.”

“We also need to ensure a supply of essential medications, as providing these drugs is crucial,” she said. “We need to equip the emergency room, provide suitable accommodation, and renovate their kitchen and pantry,” she added.

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