ISSN 0189-1774
 

Opinions
Online Published: 26 Oct 2026
 

doi:
10.5455/NJP.325934


Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights

Frances Nkechi Adiukwu, Erica Adanma Olimini, Isoboye Charles Jack, Iberedem Clinton David.

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  • Abstract
    Specialised mood disorder services in general psychiatry are scarce in low-resource settings, despite their effectiveness. Challenges of their establishment range from low human and material resources, lack of data-driven evidence in low- and middle-income settings and cultural nuances surrounding mood disorders. Despite this, a specialised mood disorder service was established at the Department of Neuropsychiatry of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. The mood disorder unit manages difficult-to-treat major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder using locally available management strategies, leverages task shifting and task sharing to manage the limited human resources, and receives specialised training via international collaborations. Two years into its establishment, the unit is increasingly recognised for its specialised services, and its early service experience has been encouraging. This paper aims to encourage the development of specialised mood disorder services in other resource-limited settings, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa.

    Key words: Specialised mood disorder services, Bipolar disorder, Sub-Saharan Africa, Difficult-to-treat depression


     
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    How to Cite this Article
    Pubmed Style

    Adiukwu FN, Olimini EA, Jack IC, David IC. Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights. NJP. 2026; 24(1): 67-70.

    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    Web Style

    Adiukwu FN, Olimini EA, Jack IC, David IC. Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights. https://nigerianjournalofpsychiatry.com/?mno=325934 [Access: October 26, 2026].

    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    AMA (American Medical Association) Style

    Adiukwu FN, Olimini EA, Jack IC, David IC. Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights. NJP. 2026; 24(1): 67-70.


    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    Vancouver/ICMJE Style

    Adiukwu FN, Olimini EA, Jack IC, David IC. Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights. NJP. (2026), [cited October 26, 2026]; 24(1): 67-70.


    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    Harvard Style

    Adiukwu, F. N., Olimini, . E. A., Jack, . I. C. & David, . I. C. (2026) Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights. NJP, 24 (1), 67-70.


    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    Turabian Style

    Adiukwu, Frances Nkechi, Erica Adanma Olimini, Isoboye Charles Jack, and Iberedem Clinton David. 2026. Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights. Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry, 24 (1), 67-70.


    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    Chicago Style

    Adiukwu, Frances Nkechi, Erica Adanma Olimini, Isoboye Charles Jack, and Iberedem Clinton David. "Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights." Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry 24 (2026), 67-70.


    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

    Adiukwu, Frances Nkechi, Erica Adanma Olimini, Isoboye Charles Jack, and Iberedem Clinton David. "Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights." Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry 24.1 (2026), 67-70. Print.


    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934



    APA (American Psychological Association) Style

    Adiukwu, F. N., Olimini, . E. A., Jack, . I. C. & David, . I. C. (2026) Establishing a Mood Disorder Subspecialty Unit in a Low-Resource Setting: A Perspective on Early Clinical and System-Level Insights. Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry, 24 (1), 67-70.


    doi:10.5455/NJP.325934