As regular Gede blog readers will know, last week the Foundation hosted the visit to Nigeria of King’s College London Senior Researcher, Dr Rosie Mayston. In addition to meeting partners and agencies such as CBM, the Karu Behavioural Medicine Unit, IHVN, NACA, as well as Gede Data Collectors and Facility based staff at Asokoro, Garki and Gwagwalada Hospitals, Dr Mayston spent time with Gede team members discussing ways in which the Foundation and King’s College could work together closely in future. In particular, there is a pressing need to undertake high quality research into the impact of depression and substance abuse on people living with HIV-AIDS, while the practical implication of research needs to be reflected in working with agencies such as NACA and NEPWHAN to ensure that mental health screening, treatment and referral skills and integrated into HIV-AIDS care and support regimes.

Such an initiative would help to lessen the impact of mental health conditions on both HIV-AIDS (such as treatment uptake and adherence) and general health outcomes (such as getting enough sleep and following a good diet).

Gede would like to take this opportunity to formally thank all partners and agencies who interacted with Dr Mayston last week and encourages readers of the Foundation’s blogs to keep up-to-date with our latest work by visiting Gede’s website regularly.