The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, yesterday raised alarm over Mental health disorders among medical professionals in Nigeria.

At the end of its National Executive Council (NEC), meeting held on Saturday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, which was made available to journalist, the MDCAN attributed the challenge to exposure to additional stress, depression among others.

This was contained in a statement signed by the President and secretary General, professor Amin Mohammad and, Dr Daiyabu Ibrahim respectively, therefore stressed that government should lighten factors responsible for the increase in the  health disorders.

The statement reads in part: “There is increasing evidence of Mental Health illness, such as stress, anxiety, burnout , depression, suicide, substance abuse and misuse among medical professionals with deleterious effects on their overall quality of life.

“Risk factors for Mental health disorders among physicians include, but not limited to some hostile training environment, erratic and long working hours, poor remuneration, excessive and/or conflicting job demand, adverse working conditions, infrastructural constrain and deficit, and lack of organizational support etc.

“Government is hereby advised to mitigate factors responsible for the increase in Mental health disorders among medical professionals.

“Government is equally advised to prioritize Emergency Response Services across the country, in order to reduce the morbidity, mortality and the burden of emergency cases”

The association also expressed concern over health care delivery which is becoming more expensive as a result of inflation.

It further slammed the government on 5 per cent budgetary allocation to the health sector.