The founder of Immaculate Mind Care Foundation, Miss Chimamaka Ali has said she would partner with the Ebonyi State Government towards advocating for mental health awareness.
Miss Ali represented Ebonyi State at the just concluded Miss Universe Nigeria beauty pageant organized by the Silverbird group.
She said the partnership would strengthen the government’s effort to prioritize mental health awareness and fight against the use of illicit drugs in society.
Miss Chimamaka, noted that she had earlier visited the Psychiatric ward of the Alex Ekweme Federal University Teaching Hospital to interact with the doctors to know their challenges and proffer solutions.
“The first place we visited which is the psychiatric ward at the teaching hospital was to see the problems and to hear from the doctors there on the challenges they are facing, and how we can help as a new foundation.
“We were able to go round there to see the facilities which I was not impressed with, I think there’s been so much lackadaisical attitude towards mental health in Nigeria.
“They’ve been almost like a neglect to that department because there are stereotypes that affect people living with mental health”. she said.
Miss Ali equally visited the Red Cross motherless babies’ homes as well as the homes of the less privileged persons in Abakaliki with gift items to appreciate the state for supporting her during the beauty pageant.
“I contested for Miss Universe to represent Ebonyi State as an indigene of the State, I came to say thank you for the support the Ebonyi State gave me.”
She maintained, while disclosing her plans to speak in front of the government on prioritizing mental health awareness that its role cannot not be ignored as an authority.
“Because a lot of our young people have fallen into depression and other mental health issues because of the use of drugs.
“Because I love humans this is the only way I can contribute to my world by speaking out, using my voice and position to speak about mental health awareness,” she explained.
Chimamaka Immaculate Ali is an activist and a business designer, founder of the Immaculate Mind Care Foundation.