Community-Based Organizations’ Service Delivery in Civic Leadership Engagement Towards Mental Health Awareness in The South-West Zone, Nigeria
Abstract
Mental health is foundational to human productivity and national development. Grassroots civic actors are essential to bridge the health service where there is scarcity. Quality health service delivery, therefore, is not just for hospitals and elites, but rather it requires multidimensional collaboration with community-based organizations (CBOs) via visionary leadership. This study explored the roles of civil organizations in mental health advocacy in Nigeria’s Southwest geo-political zone. Three research questions and one hypothesis were evaluated using a descriptive survey design. A multistage and convenient sampling technique was used, resulting in 200 samples. Researchers engaged a self-designed, 15-item questionnaire for data collection. The study’s contribution showed that community-based organizations significantly contribute to mental health support at 71.5%, bridging the health gap in rural areas. CBO's effectiveness was rated strong at 79.4% level. Furthermore, the report established that groups collaborate with public health centers to enhance mental health support in the Southwest of Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommended that policymakers in the health sector should formally incorporate CBOs' roles as an essential, assistive service for mental health in rural communities. There should also be a strategic public-private partnership with a designed framework to increase funding and capacity-building for organizations. The study concluded that the professional delivery capacity of groups requires training and retraining in prioritizing mental health advocacy to enhance citizens’ capacity for nation-building in Nigeria.
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