Business

WHO reports global shortfall in mental health investment

Published

3 years ago

October 10, 2021

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) new Mental Health Atlas paints a disappointing picture of a worldwide failure to provide people with the mental health services they need.

In a statement made available on Saturday, it said it happened at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was highlighting a growing need for mental health support.

“World misses most 2020 mental health targets; extension of WHO Mental Health Action Plan to 2030 provides new opportunity for progress reading time, four minutes (1003 words).

“The latest edition of the atlas, which includes data from 171 countries, provides a clear indication that the increased attention given to mental health in recent years has yet to result in a scale-up of quality mental services that is aligned with needs,” the global health agency said.

According to WHO, the Atlas is a compilation of data provided by countries around the world on mental health policies, issued every three years.

Others are legislation, financing, human resources, availability and utilisation of services and data collection systems.

According to the global health body, it is also the mechanism for monitoring progress towards meeting the targets in WHO’s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan.

“It is extremely concerning that, despite the evident and increasing need for mental health services, which has become even more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic, good intentions are not being met with investment.

“We must heed and act on this wake-up call and dramatically accelerate the scale-up of investment in mental health, because there is no health without mental health,” it quoted Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of WHO, as saying.

The statement said that none of the targets for effective leadership and governance for mental health, provision of mental health services in community-based settings, mental health promotion and prevention, and strengthening of information systems, were close to being achieved.

It said that in 2020, just 51 per cent of WHO’s 194 member states reported that their mental health policy or plan was in line with international and regional human rights instruments, way short of the 80 per cent target.

It said that only 52 per cent of countries met the target relating to mental health promotion and prevention programmes, also well below the 80 per cent target.

WHO noted that the only 2020 target met was a reduction in the rate of suicide by 10 per cent, but even then, only 35 countries said they had a stand-alone prevention strategy, policy or plan.

It said that steady progress was evident, however, in the adoption of mental health policies, plans and laws, as well as in improvements in capacity to report on a set of core mental health indicators.

It said that, however, the percentage of government health budgets spent on mental health has scarcely changed during the last years, still hovering around two per cent.

Business

Finally, NERC unbundles TCN, creates new system operator

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2024

Trends Admin

Finally, NERC unbundles TCN, creates new system operator

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has set up the Nigerian Independent System Operator of Nigeria Limited (NISO) as it unbundles the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The transmission leg of the power sector has over the years been seen as weakest link with obsolete equipment.

The unbundling announcement is contained in an Order dated April 30, 2023 and jointly signed by NERC chairman, Sanusi Garba, and vice chairman, Musiliu Oseni.

By this order, the TCN is expected to transfer all market and system operation functions to the new company.

The commission had previously issued transmission service provider (TSP) and system operations (SO) licences to the TCN, in accordance with the Electric Power Sector Reform Act.

The Electricity Act 2023, which came into effect on June 9, provided clearer guidelines for the incorporation and licensing of the independent system operator (ISO), as well as the transfer of assets and liabilities of TCN’s portion of the ISO.
In the circular, the commission ordered the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to incorporate, unfailingly on May 31, a private company limited by shares under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020.
NERC said the company is expected “to carry out the market and system operation functions stipulated in the Electricity Act and the terms and conditions of the system operation licence issued to the TCN.
“The name of the company shall, subject to availability at Corporate Affairs Commission, be the Nigerian Independent System Operator of Nigeria Limited (“NISO”),” NERC said.

Citing the object clause of the NISO’s memorandum of association (MOU) as provided in the Electricity Act, NERC said the company would “hold and manage all assets and liabilities pertaining to market and system operation on behalf of market participants and consumer groups or such stakeholders as the Commission may specify.”

Business

Naira depreciates again, trades at N1,402/$

Published

3 days ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Naira depreciates again, trades at N1,402/$

The Nigerian currency, naira, on Thursday slightly depreciated at the official market, trading at N1,402.67 to the dollar.

Data from the official trading platform of the FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), showed that the naira lost N11.71

Naira depreciates again, trades at N1,402/$

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Appeal court takes over NURTW case as NIC withdraws

Published

5 days ago

May 1, 2024

Trends Admin

Appeal court takes over NURTW case as NIC withdraws

The National Industrial Court has withdrawn from a case involving Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, Board of Trustees chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa’s ambition to return as president of the union over lack of jurisdiction.

The industrial court’s decision was made to avoid conflict with the Court of Appeal, where the matter is already being heard.

Before the NIC announced its decision to hands-off the case, the defendants’ counsel, Mr. O.I. Olorundare SAN, had informed the court that the matter is currently before the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, and that the industrial court could not continue to adjudicate on the same matter.

The counsel cited authorities to support his claim, adding that the National Industrial Court does not have concurrent jurisdiction with the Court of Appeal.

The presiding judge, O.O. Oyewunmi, struck out the case, stating that the Appeal Court had taken over the matter and that the Industrial Court must respect the hierarchy of courts.

Alhaji Yasin and six others took the case to the Appeal Court, challenging the decision of the industrial court recognising a delegates’ conference held on May 24, 2023, where Baruwa was proclaimed as President of the union for a second term in office.

With the latest NIC judgement, both parties will now proceed to defend their positions at the Court of Appeal and await the final judgement.