Declare state of emergency on mental condition, FG urged

The Chief Medical Director of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Kaduna, Dr. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on Mental conditions.   He made this call when the House of Representative Committee on health visited the hospital. He also advocated for free treatment of mental illnesses; saying […]

The Chief Medical Director of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Kaduna, Dr. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on Mental conditions.
 
He made this call when the House of Representative Committee on health visited the hospital. He also advocated for free treatment of mental illnesses; saying it will lessen burden on families of patients. According to him, developed countries offer mental treatment free of charge to citizens, noting that 99% of patients that come for treatment do not have financial strength for treatment.
 
“If the treatment is made free, it will reduce the hardship of the families of the patients. Patients have been buying food at the cost N550.00 per meal, they pay for bed to sleep on and even their laundries and that is why some of them have been abandoned by their families because of the huge money owed by them and at the end day, the hospital is left to pay all their money and even take them back to their families when they are rehabilitated,” he lamented.
 
Speaking shortly after a general assessment tour to national hospitals in Kaduna including: Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, National Eye Centre and the National Ear Care Centre, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Alhaji Umar Mohammad Jega lamented that Nigeria contributes only six percent of the national budget to the health of its citizens out of 15percent pledged, to obtain International Standard Health Practices.
 
Jega recalled that Nigeria and its counterparts from other African Countries pledged to contribute 15percent of its national budget to health; lamenting that Nigeria is not meeting its end of the bargain. The Committee Chairman called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency give more attention to the health of its citizens, saying a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.
 
While at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Jega observed the need for the Federal Government to provide more equipment in the hospital. Also at the National Ear Care Centre, Jega assured that its problems would be addressed as well ensure that the hospital gets its Enabling Act establishing the Centre. “The centre is the only health institution in the country charged with the responsibility of ear diseases and as such require special attention so as to be able to discharge its mandate,” he said.
 
He therefore assured that the committee would ensure that the health sector is given due attention to build a healthy and wealthy nation.