Postpartum Outreach Exposes Gaps, Counseling Africa Unveils Community Mental Health Framework

Counseling Africa warns that Nigeria’s community mental health system suffers from more than just low awareness. A six-week sensitisation campaign on postpartum depression across 10 primary healthcare centres in Ibadan revealed that most mothers and health workers had never encountered basic information on maternal mental health. The group’s founder says this points to a structural breakdown rather than an information shortage. In response, Counseling Africa has released Nigeria’s first Community Mental Health Framework, defining clear roles for government, NGOs, healthcare providers, religious bodies, community leaders and other stakeholders. The framework aims to build a coordinated system that ensures mental health services and education reach vulnerable populations. The organisation plans to share the document with policymakers, healthcare institutions, development partners and civil society groups nationwide.

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