300 SECONDS with Onyedikachi Ekwerike
Founder of Postpartum Support Network Africa. “In 2014 a relative suffered postpartum psychosis, and we struggled to find care for her. It made me wonder how many more families and moms were out there
We spoke with Onyedikachi Ekwerike for 300 SECONDS to find out more about his efforts to raise awareness of postpartum depression, a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby. He is founder of Postpartum Support Network Africa, an organisation which provides support to women and families who struggle with postpartum depression.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU DO?
My name is Onyedikachi Ekwerike. I am the founder of Postpartum Support Network (PSN) Africa. PSN is a leading parental mental health organization in Nigeria. My background is in Psychology and Leadership. I have two degrees in psychology, and I have been practising for seven years as a clinical psychologist. I hold a PhD in Leadership Communication. I am a recipient of two prestigious leadership fellowships: the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship and the 2018 Global Leaders Fellowship. I am passionate about helping social change leaders in Africa develop the capacity to make progress on tough challenges facing the continent.
TELL US MORE ABOUT PSN?
I founded PSN in 2015. The goal of the organization is to raise awareness about postpartum depression (PPD) and related illnesses. It also strives to provide support for women and families who struggle with PPD. We do this at PSN by offering free individual and group therapy. In the last five years, we have engaged in mass education and screening campaigns to raise awareness about PPD and improve access to maternal mental healthcare.
WHAT MOTIVATED THE CREATION OF PSN?
My personal experience with postpartum psychosis and my observation of the lack of access to maternal mental health care motivated the creation of PSN. In 2014 a relative suffered postpartum psychosis, and we struggled to find care for her. More importantly, family members were confused and ignorant about the nature of her illness. It made me wonder how many more families and moms were out there struggling with similar illnesses without knowing the nature of the illness and how to get help.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE REACTION TO THIS INITIATIVE?
The reception has been great on average. Women we’ve worked with have been thankful for our awareness/advocacy work and our direct services. We’ve also received support from government officials and medical directors of government-owned hospitals in Lagos and Ogun State. These officials recognize the importance of our work and grant us access to hospitals to screen and educated mothers.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR?
So far, our most significant achievement will be providing direct support to over 300 women. We’ve also been able to educate and screen over 15,000 women in 5 years.
TELL US ONE CHALLENGE YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PSN ACTIVITIES?
One of the challenges we’ve encountered in implementing our projects is a shortage of trained psychologists. Currently, there are only 200 licensed clinical psychologists in Nigeria. These psychologists serve a population of over 200 million. A critical activity at PSN involves connecting moms who struggle with PPD with therapists. This shortage of therapists means that it is hard to find an available therapist to support these moms who reach out to us.
WHAT POLICY CHANGE IN NIGERIA WILL IMPROVE THE IMPACT OF YOUR WORK?
A meagre 3% of Nigeria’s health budget is allocated for Mental health. This lack of funding means that mental health hospitals are understaffed and unable to cater to Nigerians’ mental health needs. There is also a need for new legislation around mental health. The current policy (The Lunacy Act) is outdated and further adds to the stigmatization of people living with mental illnesses.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY LISTENING TO?
Currently, I am listening to Perruzi’s brilliant album titled “Rum & Boogie.”
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