Great Ife International Health Conference: Practitioners Charge Students to Embrace Mental Healthcare

            John Alabi & Fawas Adedeji 

Earlier today, the office of the Welfare Director of the Great Ife Students' Union, held the maiden international health conference, tagged "Surviving to Succeed: Addressing Health, Well-being, and Welfare Challenges in the Student Environment," at Hotel De Treasure Event Centre, Ibadan road.

This event, as  convened by the union Welfare Director, Musab Osunleke, was organised to create awareness about students' mental health, and ways to monitor their well being in the midst of their various academic pursuits and expectations. 

Prominent speakers and panelists at the event include the Managing Partner, Interdym Rutgers, at the State University of New Jersey, USA, Dr. Bashir Agboola, as the keynote speaker. Dr Oluwagbemi, a consultant family physician at Iwosan Lagoon Hospital, the Director of Nursing services at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Bernice Aketi, Dr. George Uchendu (TheTalkDoctor), and Rae Timzy, an online health content creator.

Speaking on the topic "Redefining Students' Health for a safer and sustainable future," Dr. Oluwagbemi acknowledged OAU's academic rigors, noting the intense pressure it has on the students, and how students adopt different coping mechanisms, enablers, and stimulants to keep them going.

He emphasized on how different sidehustles peculiar among students, such as the POS businesses, Barbing, Online Businesses, amongst others, take great toll on students' well-being, as it may eventually lead to mental health issues like depression, suicidal behaviours, and anxiety disorder.

Backing up his explanation with data based on research conducted amongst OAU students, he stated that 16.4% are of high mental status, while 14.9% are low in family support.

He concluded his session by noting that based on this data, students are predisposed to communicable and non-communicable diseases, if they continue to neglect their personal well being and proper dietary habits.

In her virtual session, the Director of Nursing Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Bernice Aketi, spoke on "Silent Crisis: Students' Health Negligence in Modern Academic Communities," where she begins with an anecdote of a young university undergraduate, who wakes up every morning moving around overcrowded halls for lectures.

The Director explained that this daily hassle is a broader reflection of most Nigerian students, struggling silently to meet their academic expectations. She further highlighted various mental health, economic, and nutritional challenges such as deficiency of proteins, inadequate rest, and high level of screen time, experienced by students.

In her conclusion, she hinted at the different hidden impacts these have on academic success, as students are often plagued with emotional fatigue and reduced academic engagements, urging them to also pay attention to slight change in their mental health and dietary habits.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Bashir Agboola, a Managing Partner, Interdym Rutgers, at the State University of New Jersey, USA.

He started his presentation on the topic "the mind and machine,” explaining how aligned with his field of expertise as a healthcare technology expert, speaking on identifiable stressors that contribute to mental struggles, cost of showing up, and failure of the body system that has continued to fail the students. 

Speaking further, Dr. Agboola confirmed that a total of 21 suicidal case has occurred on OAU campus from 2019 - 2024, adding context to his presentation by displaying an undergraduate research data organised on the mental health of OAU undergraduates:

68.6% -- Moderate

14.9% -- Low mental health status

16.4% -- Good mental health status 

He made his final call to the university's management and other concerned policy makers, to ensure acknowledgement of these published data, in a bid to improve students' wellness.

The panel session followed with Hannah Ajibade as the moderator, with Rae Timzy and Dr. George Uchendu (The Talk Doctor), as the panelists, where they revealed how they started their creative storytelling contents alongside their career's demands, encouraging students to always leverage on available opportunities and make use of the Media, to orientate and bring knowledge to millions of people who are still ignorant about basic health guidelines and tips.

The event wrapped up with an award and magazine launching, where the keynote speaker, Dr. Bashir Agboola received an award of honor and a magazine titled "The Health Pulse," launched by the Office of the Great Ife Students'Union Welfare Director.