Nigerians Disregarding Psychological Struggles, Catholic Official Says, Urges Fight for Mental Wellness

Fr. Audu argued that cultural attitudes often make people dismiss their psychological struggles.

“The black race specifically, not just Nigerians, doesn’t pay attention to mental issues. We think we are strong and we can manage. Especially men. That is why you see more widows than widowers, because many men carry burdens until they collapse,” he said.

According to Fr. Audu, reliance on prayer alone, without taking responsibility for one’s health, worsens the situation.

 “Yes, God has a role in our lives, but we, too, have a responsibility to take care of ourselves. Mental education is important. Mental awareness is important,” he said. 

Fr. Audu noted that the simplest but most powerful tool for healing is conversation, saying, “People should learn to share their problems, people should learn to talk to someone, and people should be able to listen to others as well.” 

“You save lives when you allow people to speak or when you give them your ear. Many Nigerians are too busy to listen, creating silent struggles in homes and communities,” he said.

Fr. Audu urged Nigerians, especially Catholics, to take preventive health seriously by seeking education, counseling, and regular medical checks. 

He warned against waiting until conditions deteriorate.

“Even basic headache treatment is neglected because people think prayer alone will solve it. Yes, we pray, but God expects us to act too,” Fr. Audu said.

He appealed for personal responsibility in both mental and physical health, saying, “Know your mental status. Visit a counseling session. Do a simple health check. Learn to talk. Learn to listen. You will save yourself and you will save others.”

The Nigerian Catholic official linked the medical outreach to the values of the Catholic Church.

“We have to show solidarity, we have to enhance the dignity of people, and we have to identify with the most vulnerable in society,” he said.

The Catholic Priest noted that Caritas Nigeria does not separate physical health from spiritual well-being.

Making reference to Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Populorum Progressio, he said the Church aims at the holistic development of the human person.

 “You cannot take care of the physical and leave the spiritual,” he said, and added, “We are trying to balance both sides of the human being.”

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Fr. Audu said the medical outreach is expected to reach about 1000 people. 

“We planned for about 1000 persons, but if more come, we will try the best we can to attend to them,” he said.

He said that funding came from internal contributions rather than external grants, and explained, “Out of the 59 Dioceses in Nigeria, over 20 supported us. The board members also contributed from their own pockets, so we put it together to serve the community.”

In another interview with ACI Africa during the same event, the Senior Technical Advisor for TB and Infectious Diseases at Caritas Nigeria, Dr. Chukwuemeka Charles Okolie, explained that the outreach covers general medical consultations, dental care, optometry, mental health care, pharmacy, laboratory services, and health education. 

“We are taking care of some medical quick fixes and making appropriate referrals for patients that need specialist attention,” Dr. Okolie said.

He noted that Caritas Nigeria had already secured partnerships with health professionals and organizations, including  Ideal Dental Foundation International (IDFI), to address advanced medical needs. 

On infectious diseases, he emphasized that the outreach had strong links with government health programs. 

“We are working in liaison with the National TB, Leprosy, and Rheumatoid Arthritis Control Program in Abuja. When we identify presumptive TB cases, we refer them to primary health care centers where their sputum samples can be collected for evaluation and sent to the lab for diagnosis,” he said.

As part of preparations, Caritas Nigeria held a walkathon on September 23 to raise awareness about the medical outreach. Volunteers moved across nearby communities to inform residents about the services.