Today, Interviewers engaged for Gede and IHVN’s large study into the prevalence of common mental disorders (depression, substance abuse and suicidality) spent the day being trained on the specifics related to the questionnaire they will use for data collection. The practice sessions engaged Gede partners from the Network of People Living With HIV-AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) and was extremely useful in ‘testing’ the Interviewers under relatively realistic ‘field conditions’ before data collection starts in earnest in May. Tomorrow marks the final day of training and will continue with practise sessions using the WHO CIDI Questionnaire. Next, data collection!

During the morning, Gede also hosted a meeting of Site Coordinators who will play a key role in ensuring a regular supply of respondents for the Interviewers to engage with. The Coordinators were extremely helpful in identifying ways in which such a large survey can successfully engage respondents and several strategies were considered in this regard.

Gede also hosted another session of its popular series, ‘Mental Health Dialogue Programme’ which featured a presentation by Mrs M Udoh on, ‘Human Rights, Peace, Education and Mental Health’ which focused on the most recent advances in ‘rights’ as related to global mental health. The highly interactive Q&A session focused on the need to hold all Governments to account once conventions have been signed. This work should also, it was agreed, include supporting Government initiatives where appropriate.

During the course of the afternoon, Gede also hosted and Chaired a meeting of the CSO Coalition in Mental Health which discussed the 2015 work plan and budget coupled with a number of issues surrounding both formal registration and reaching out to a range of other mental health activists in due course. The Coalition is looking to become formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission within the next 1-2 months.