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Tag: psychiatric

  • Yaba Psychiatric Hospital seeks help on abandoned indigent patients

    Yaba Psychiatric Hospital seeks help on abandoned indigent patients

    The Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos is seeking assistance for the treatment and welfare of abandoned indigent mental health patients in the hospital.

    Its Medical Director, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos, said more than 25 per cent of the patients on admission could not pay their bills.Owoeye lamented that the number of this set of patients increased by the day.He, therefore, urged Nigerians to help the indigent and abandoned psychiatric patients to offset their medical bills and meet their daily needs.

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    He said it had became pertinent that the public come to the aid of these set of people because the burden of their welfare, medications and upkeep had rested totally upon the hospital for a long time now.According to him, the current bills and welfare upkeep of the patients, especially the indigent and those abandoned by their relatives, are currently weighing the hospital down financially.

    He noted that most of the indigent and abandoned mental health patients spent the rest of their lives in the hospital premise until death calls.

    He added that the hospital also catered for the burial of some of the indigent patients who passed on, saying that some of them usually pass on from the age of 60 years, on the average.

  • Depression: Simple mood swings can be warning signal

    Psychiatric problems can happen to anyone and at any time. It is therefore pertinent that when we begin to see symptoms that are unusual, we must quickly seek intervention. These are some of the submissions of Mojisola Akinsanmi, a clinical psychologists of over three decades, as told to Omolara Akintoye.

    WHAT is the cause of the rising cases of psychiatric problem in the country?

    As you know, we are human and when things are not going the way we expect, we are bound to react in one way or the other, and mostly it will be in a negative way. The economy is bad, life generally is tough for everybody; when these things are in existence and are occurring at an alarming rate and people have to find a way of coping with them, you can talk about the alarming rate of drug use.

    People want to feel good, happy and at least have a moment when they feel like everything is okay with them, even though it is not real. That is what those substances give to you momentarily. Some of these drugs, we never even hear of in the past, and it’s frightening. All these things contribute to the high rate of psychiatric problems that we see now.

    What are the symptoms of depression to watch out for?

    What we can do is to note that psychiatric problems can happen to anyone and at any time. And when we begin to see symptoms that are not usual, you feel like you don’t want to see anybody. It’s now a burden when people come visiting you or when people are asking you to talk but you feel like you don’t want to see anybody; or you go to bed and can’t sleep and you feel like withdrawing yourself from social interaction. With that, you should know that there is something wrong with you and at that time you are to seek for intervention. Most of the time, it doesn’t have to end up with you in the psychiatric hospital. If you seek medical attention on time, you might just need to see a psychologist and not necessarily a psychiatrist. For instance, if you have mind depression, my physiotherapist can assist you. You might not need medications. But if you leave it for too long and it begins to affect everything, I mean let’s say you can’t function well, you are distressed, then you will have to go to a psychiatric hospital and then you will have to take pills. So we can prevent it if the people present on time. And for us to be able to present on time, we need to know what these disorders are. We need to open our minds to know, just like we know the symbols of hypertension or diabetes.

    We also need to know the symptoms of psychiatric problems. We should stop thinking it’s only for mad people; you know there are lots of stigmas around psychiatric disorders. It’s even a global problem. It’s among the poor, the rich and the middle class; even people in the rural areas that are into farming. These days, you don’t even need to stress yourself to buy the drug; so many things now give people reason to sniff gutter water. You are going along the road and you see someone bent by a gutter sniffing, just because he wants to get high. They sniff septic tanks, petrol, which could be seen everywhere and anywhere…. The rich men’s children will take crack cocaine, the original one, which goes for N50 thousand a gram. Meanwhile the same crack cocaine adulterated and mixed with all kinds of things is bought by the lower class people for like two thousand naira. The higher class can get heroine because they are expensive while the lower class gets codeine, still serving the same purpose.

    Things weren’t this bad in the past, what actually went wrong?

    Yes, because really, when I was in secondary school, I never saw people abusing drugs and I never heard about. I never knew anyone who was taking substances. All we knew then was alcohol. People took alcohol, and of course marijuana, which has also always been in existence. Suddenly, I think these young ones are looking for everything everywhere. We’ve been using codeine for cough syrup and I never thought it could be abused. All these medications that have become substances of abuse have been in existence long before now; it’s just unfortunate that our young generations are looking for everything to alter their mood, perception, behaviours. Even methylated spirit that are used for injuries, are now being abused. I think it’s just telling us that something has really gone wrong with our society. This is not just about the economic situation; I think it also has to do with family disintegration. Parents don’t have time anymore; they are so occupied with trying to make ends meet. Even when you want to create time, you have limitations. For instance, I work in Lagos and I have to leave my house by 5am, will I be able to see my children when leaving? Again, because I want to beat the traffic in the night, I wait on the island till 10pm, such that by the time I get home, the children would have slept. So what time do I have to interact with them?

    So, from primary school, most of these kids are being exposed to drugs. From research, you find that most of them are exposed to drugs from age six. It’s that bad.

    How can psychiatric cases be curbed? say we can prevent it with a very good and promising government policy; policies that are focused or concentrated on masses. Government should make people feel the impact of good governance. When there is employment, the economy improves; the social infrastructures are available; if we can reduce the stress induced by the community, city, and government; if we can bring down the level of stress people go through, then it will go a long way in preventing or reducing psychiatric cases.

    Aside all these, people also have a role to play in preventing this trend. You know in our society, we don’t really take anything serious. Most of the time when such things happen, we attribute it to some deities, some supernatural forces, and that makes people present cases really late to the hospital. For instance, someone is suffering from depression; may be he/she as experienced lots of negative life events; maybe his business closed down, he lost his/her loved ones, children graduated without employment, at the mercy of landlord for non-payment of rent…. Everything is happening at the same time and he is pressured to take in all these things; it is not unexpected if such a person falls into depression. But our people will say the enemy is at work, which will not make them seek medical attention on time.

    So government should make things go well in the society e. g education, health, energy…. We don’t need to beg for it, it should be a right.  The society should encourage honesty and hardwork. Things are so degenerated in the country now that once somebody makes money; nobody cares to know how they got the money, even if it’s stolen. People worship riches, wealth; and this is one of the reasons our youth have departed the way of hard work and are all into Yahoo and other internet scams. Of course they witnessed their mothers and fathers who went through the path of hardwork and ended up in penury; so they have concluded that it does not pay. So, society should recognise people with good values and give them public recognition, so that these young ones may learn that it pays to be hardworking and honest.

    At the family level, we should supervise our children. God has made us to be caretakers over them. It is also our responsibility to nurture them and train them. We mustn’t say because our children are in the university, then we should let them be. We should pay them unscheduled visits, talk to their roommates, course mates and course advisors; it’s from them you will really know who your children are in the university because if they know you are coming, they will arrange themselves before coming to meet you.

    2019 comes with a loaded package; how do you think people can manage pressure and possible depression?

    The New Year comes with optimism, but people become over ambitious, and that’s because I won’t like to use the word ‘deluded.’ People believe what wasn’t possible in the past five years, would be brought to reality in the New Year, so they go in with high hopes, expectations, demands…. But I will say, let’s exercise caution here, because you know yourself and you know the resources around you. Why don’t you request for what you know you can attain? Let’s not hope manna is going to drop because God does not drop manna anymore; it’s what you have, what you can attain or what you can access that will give you what you want. So, let’s be reasonable and modest about our New Year resolution and requests; let’s set realistic targets, so that our hopes won’t be dashed. It is when people set high expectations and it becomes unachievable that they fall into depression. And that is when you find them committing suicide.

  • The addiction challenge

    Nigeria’s trajectory seems to be ascending an undulating and precarious curve. In the last year, reports of cases of drug abuse and psychiatric problems have been on the increase. First was the alarm over the abuse of codeine by youths, especially in the Northern part of the country. The whistle was blown by an investigative report by the BBC.

    A few months after the codeine report, another drug, Tramadol, was reported to be widely, if not wildly abused. As if a proof was needed, the seizure was announced of more than a dozen container loads of the highly sensitive prescription drug at the Apapa Port, Lagos. The last time we checked, investigation was still on-going as to how such an outrageous quantity of opioid found its way into the country.

    Then last week, the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA) announced that it was working on a proposal that will guide the introduction of random drug tests on employees, students and other persons suspected of using illegal drugs, whether in private or public places.

    Chairman of the committee, Brigadier-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd) had said that the essence of the committee was to identify those that needed help and other forms of assistance and not to criminalise anyone. He lamented the dearth of facilities and personnel to handle cases of drug addiction and other mental illnesses. He also observed that majority of the afflicted are suffering in silence.

    Laudable as the proposed policy may appear, we feel that governments at all levels and the relevant agencies charged with the health of the citizenry have not done very well to prevent the epidemic of drug addiction and the resultant psycho-social crises the country is currently experiencing. Even more troubling is the prospect of a near and distant future blurred and ominous.

    We know that resort to drugs as an elixir of any sort has its roots in ignorance, among other causes. The menace itself is the seed that germinates and which every branch and every leaf thereof portend nothing but socio-economic chaos for the country. The insecurity in the land, the insurgencies, the militancy, the social unrest, the kidnappings and robberies are all offshoots of various levels of drug addiction and substance abuse.

    While we welcome the setting up of PACEDA and its intended role in the fight against drug addiction, we suggest that a more fundamental and comprehensive action must be taken to stem the tendency of the youths, the most vital demographic of any nation, to resort to the use of drugs of any type. Statistics has shown that there is a correlation between illiteracy and the abuse of drugs amongst the youths, especially in Nigeria.

    Illiteracy and ignorance appear to be at the root of most social ills. Most uneducated parents would have limitations in the field of child upbringing. When a child lacks the most fundamental values in a fast changing world, the tendency to pick up habits from the streets is high.

    We therefore urge PACEDA and governments at all levels to draw up a comprehensive blueprint to tackle this menace. This is apart from prioritising formal education and relentless enlightenment programmes.

    There must also be a re-evaluation of policies to integrate skill acquisition and sports into the education curriculum so that those who cannot cope with core academics can acquire viable skills or develop their sporting talents. The country must begin to worry about her huge and fast growing population. An unmanaged population is bound to continue to throw up all manner of socio-economic challenges.

    PACEDA has an onerous task to strive to eliminate the virus instead of seeking to treat the ailment. Drug addiction no doubt portends serious deleterious consequences to the health of any nation.

  • 36 in psychiatric test for traffic violation

    Thirty-six drivers in Abuja have been subjected to psychiatric evaluation for beating traffic light.

    All the drivers taken to the hospital in ambulances were made to undergo psychiatric test, with doctors certifying their level of mental fitness.

    Deputy Director /Chief Press Secretary FCT, Muhammad Sule made this known in a press statement, he stated.

    “The FCT Police Command in collaboration with officers of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services have so far arrested 36 motorists for beating traffic lights in the Federal Capital Territory and have subjected them to psychiatric evaluation at the Karu Psychiatric Hospital.

    “This is sequel to the directive of the FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, for the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Command to arrest any motorist that beats traffic lights in the Federal Capital Territory and be taken to psychiatric hospital for immediate test.

    “All the motorists so far arrested and conveyed in ambulances to the hospital have undergone psychiatric tests at the hospital but were certified by the doctor to be medically fit.

    “Those arrested have been made to face the consequences of their actions as they have been made to pay fine to serve as a deterrent after bearing the cost of the psychiatric test.

    “Meanwhile, the culprits have also been made to attend a compulsory three-day lecture at the headquarters of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services on the importance of complying with traffics signs and road markings.

    “The exercise that commenced about 5 days ago (5/10/16) by the Police on the directive of the Minister is a continuous one as it has entered week two.

    “It would be recalled that the Nigeria Police Force recently deployed very senior officers within the ranks of Assistant Superintendent of Police and Inspectors to man the speed bikes to ensure high level of discipline from them to curb impunity and work in disciplined, efficient and effective manner.”

  • Association lifts psychiatric patients in Calabar

    Association lifts psychiatric patients in Calabar

    Patients of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Calabar felt a sense of belonging as the Senior Staff Association of the hospital donated several items to them.

    Items donated to them included foodstuff, provisions and toiletries among others.

    The Chairman of the Association, Comrade Ken Bassey, said they thought it wise that the patients be made to feel loved and wanted, especially in the Christmas and New Year season.

    His words: “What we displayed was service to humanity. We thought it wise as a union that it is not only about agitating for our welfare for our members, but also there should be a paradigm shift to also reaching out to members of the society especially the less privileged.

    “We presented gifts to our patients. Our clients because we benefitted so much from the system and we also thought it wise to give back to the system. There is a popular dictum that charity begins at home, so we thought it wise to start with our inmates. We are using this opportunity to call on well meaning Nigerians to join us in this gesture

    “A healthy nation is a wealthy nation and the government should know that and take the issue of health seriously because it is very key. We should be well funded and for the staff that provide the healthcare service, there should be a very conducive environment and people should be trained to handle this cases so that at the end of the day we would have results that the government is looking out for.”

    Bassey urged that government pay more attention to mental health institutions.

    Consultant neuropsychiatrist, Dr Olutokin Michael, said it was unfortunate people in the society did not reckon with their patients. He said people do not want to associate with them and they are often stigmatized.

    “We have to give them a sense of belonging and we use this opportunity to tell them we love them and that they are important persons too,” he said.

    Acting Head of Administration of the hospital, Mrs Arit Uweh, thanked the association for the gesture.

    “We thank you for the time and love.  We are happy that you thought it wise to make them happy. Not just to think about yourselves but also to touch other people’s lives,” she said.

    Head of Nursing Services, Mrs Ekanem Ekpo Otu, said most times people give to the less privileged in the society but never think of patients of the psychiatric hospital.

    She said, “Thank you for thinking of our patients. I thank the association for placing our patients first. Thank you for the love and God bless and replenish you. The items would be useful and would go a long way to take care of the patients.”

    Servicom Officer in the hospital, Mr Okon Asuquo, lauded the gesture, saying it has never happened in the history of the hospital.

    He urged that it be emulated by others.

  • Doctors, others resist psychiatric hospital’s MD’s retention

    Doctors, others resist psychiatric hospital’s MD’s retention

    DOCTORS yesterday vowed to resist the reappointment of Dr Rahman Lawal as Medical Director (MD) of the Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos. But, Lawal dismissed his colleagues’ protest, saying he was asked by the Ministry of Health to remain in office until a substantive MD is appointed.

    Lagos State Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Chairman Dr Tope Ojo said Lawal has passed the mandatory retirement age of 60 as stipulated in the civil service rule, stressing that his continued stay in office is condemnable.

    Ojo, who spoke on NMA’s resolution urged Lawal to step down to make way for the appointment of a new medical director for the hospital.

    He said the MD, whose tenure ended on August 28, turned 60 on January 3, adding that as such, he should vacate the post as required by civil service rule.

    The MD’s continued stay has caused a lot of commotion with staff crippling activities in the hospital by embarking on indefinite strike, Ojo said.

    Besides, he was allowed to complete his term in August despite turning 60 in January, Ojo added.

    “The current imbroglio of all health workers under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), is particularly made worse by the fact that similar contention as above preceded the exit of the former MD of the hospital, Dr Harry Taiwo Ladapo, some years ago for which Dr Lawal led a revolt that led to his removal from office before he (Dr Lawal) assumed the position,” he said.

    Ojo said the workers strike was to ensure the termination of Lawal’s tenure, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Ministry of Health to remove the MD because his retention constituted an illegality, which does not conform with the change agenda.

    MDCAN chairman in the hospital Dr Grace Ijarogbe said the MD’s action was inexplicable.

    According to her, MDCAN is the body responsible for producing MDs for the hospital but “we are saying no to him because he has not performed well and he has brought us nothing but disgrace among the unions in the hospital”.

    She continued: “He is responsible for the various crises in the hospital. We have been praying for him to vacate the post since he mounted the saddle four years ago. When his tenure lapsed, we did not expect him to come back. He told us he would go to Abuja to solicit for another four-year term but we will not allow that.”

    Ijarogbe said Lawal’s continued stay as MD violates public service rule.

    “This is our fight and we will resist him from wreaking havoc on the hospital. He is 60 and should respect the law of the land. If he is allowed to continue it will be a bad trait. It will even mottle the name of our union.

    “We have written to the Federal Ministry of Health but there was no response. We even carried the letters through courier but as at today nothing has been heard,” she said.

    Ijarogbe said to MDCAN, the post of MD at the hospital is vacant, adding: “We will not be part of any illegality.”

    A senior consultant, who did not want his name mentioned, said Lawal called a meeting to read a purported recommendation letter from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health to the staff.

    The source said the letter was a personal letter by the Perm Sec to him and not for tenure elongation.

    No worker will go back to the hospital until a new person is appointed MD, said the source.

    Lawal said he resigned his civil service appointment in 2011 when he became MD.

    “But, the rule allows me to complete my tenure. And the Ministry of Health says I should continue to act as MD through a circular it sent to the hospital,” he said.

    He said the ministry set up a committee to look into the issues.

    “I am not working contrary to the civil service rule. I was asked to continue in acting capacity pending when a decision will be reached,” Lawal said.

    He said only the ministry that can determine if he should continue as MD or not.

    “I do not know why the workers are on strike despite the circular from the ministry. I didn’t force myself on the hospital,” he said.

     

  • Psychiatric Hospital: Bishop petitions Buhari

    Psychiatric Hospital: Bishop petitions Buhari

    A former member of the House of Representatives and ordained clergyman, Bishop Ezekiel Oise Orhevba has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to save the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu – Benin from what he termed: “its present irretrievably Monumental rot.”

    Bishop Orhevba in the petition to President Buhari made available to Nation on Saturday, unless the President intervenes in the affairs of the more than 50 years old Hospital, chances are that “it will experience a total ruin and abandonment.”

    The Bishop whose petition was further supported by a 22- paragraph affidavit to drive home his points, noted that there has been no peace in the hospital for over three years now.

    “There has been steady retrogression of the hospital. The hospital is in total darkness,” he stated.

    He further stated: “You can see the gardeners/landscape attendants using cutlasses to mow the grass instead of the former practice of using mechanical lawn mowers.”

    ” Food for patients is now cooked with firewood instead of gas, thereby leading to massive environment pollution in a Psychiatric Medical facility, where convalescing patients are not supposed to inhale noxious gas.

    “The hospital that has about 250 beds for patients hardly see up to 50 patients now due to the unpleasant and unfriendly condition of the hospital.”

    While alleging that there is a “terrorist gang” involved in transcendental sleaze in the hospital, Bishop Orhevba claimed that since October 2014, the Medical Director, Dr. S. O. Olotu had sacked about eight senior members of staff of the hospital who had never had any query over framed up charges.

    He alleged that the purported sack of the officers concerned was not approved by either the minister or the permanent secretary.

    Bishop Orhevba called on the President to help end the alleged reign of corruption and impunity going on at the Federal Psychiatric Hospital Benin so that the avowed manifesto of change for which President Buhari is globally acclaimed will not be aborted.

    Efforts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, Mr. Efe Stawart and the Medical Director, Dr. S.O. Olotu, to comment on the issues raised in the petition were unsuccessful.

  • Stowaway boy sent for psychiatric tests

    Daniel Ricky Oikhena, the 13- year- old Benin school boy who made the headlines over two weeks ago after stowing away to Lagos from the Edo State capital, now thinks the whole episode was unnecessary.

    He is back in Benin and for now in the custody of the state government which is trying to figure out how to ensure a solid future for him.

    A source said Daniel, on reflection, is sober and regrets that his hope of making it to the United States of America in the Arik plane’s wheel compartment hit the rocks.

    Daniel’s action is thought to be a direct fallout of the separation of his parents.

    There have been accounts of maltreatment at home, an allegation dismissed by his mother.

    The Edo State government, sources said yesterday, sent him for psychiatric tests to determine his mental balance.

    The results of the tests were said to be negative meaning that his mental stability is not in doubt and that he acted innocently in stowing away.

    He is currently living in one of the government quarters in Benin.

    It was gathered that he is unhappy that he is practically all alone in the house with neither radio nor television sets to keep abreast of events.

    Sources said he has requested that his siblings be allowed to visit him.

    One of the sources said: “Daniel is looking sober. He complains about being alone with no television or radio to keep him busy. He also requests that his siblings be allowed to visit him; that he is seriously missing his brothers and sister.

    “As for food government is feeding him like a king. He has no complaint about that.

    “He went for tests in a hospital in Benin. All the results came out and they proved that he is okay. He has no mental disability. All his action was based on his adolescent thinking.”

    Daniel said he acted ignorantly in stowing away and that he never knew the implication of his action.

    He wants everyone to forgive him. He is particularly delighted by the offer of scholarship from De Raufs Aregbesola Volunteers Group, an information he got from his handset which has a radio.

    The source quoted him as saying: “I never knew the implication of my action. When I entered the wheel compartment of the plane and it took off, initially I was feeling cold. Later, everywhere was warm and the next thing was I began to hear people speaking in a language different from English. “I was disappointed in myself when the plane did not land in America. That was why I started crying when the security people held me.”

    It was gathered that the state government may let him go and reunite with his family soon following the outcome of the psychiatric tests which are in his favour.