Immediate Past President of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, has raised the alarm that one billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions, warning that women and girls bear a disproportionate share of the burden due to violence, discrimination, and deep-rooted social inequalities.
Delivering the keynote address at the 1st Women Derive Mathematical Models for Mental Health (WEALTH) Conference and the 2nd Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) Conference in Ibadan, Nwadinobi urged governments to shift their focus from treating mental illness to investing in prevention throughout a woman’s life course.
She disclosed that women are 1.5 times more likely than men to experience depression, while one in 10 pregnant women and new mothers suffers from depression or other mental health disorders.
According to her, the true burden is even greater because of the “three S’s”—stigma, shame and silence—which prevent millions from seeking help.
Nwadinobi
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