From Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Enugu State, is disturbed by the attitude of Nigerians, towards mental health patients, especially in the South East. Its Medical Director, Prof Monday Igwe, said that most families of people with mental health cases abandon them at the hospital.
Describing this as a major social and health issue, he appealed to people to show love, compassion and care to mental health patients, noting that the illness was like any other health issue. Speaking at the thanksgiving and town hall meeting on December 14, Igwe appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, public-spirited organisations and wealthy Nigerians, to assist indigent patients by defraying their medical bills this Yuletide.
He disclosed that abandoned patients owe the hospital over N20million: “Yuletide is veritable opportunity for people to show them love. Piled up indigent bills in a section of the four sections of the hospital alone, amount to over N6 million and this is applicable in the other sections.
“It is a trend over the years in this part of the world, that during the Yuletide, families come to drop their brothers and sisters having mental challenges in the hospital. Before you know it, they disappear and abandon them.
“We cannot send them parking or throw them to the streets. We ensure they are fed, clothed, cleaned up and accommodated. We provide needed medical services for them. These provisions weigh heavily on finances of the hospital.
“We are appealing to our people. As they remember the motherless babies, orphanage homes and other places, our patients should be remembered also. They need that care and empathy for them to recover fast.
“We are calling on Gov. Ugwuanyi and mother of the state, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi, to also visit our patients as they visit other places this Yuletide with gifts and other goodies. Our patients need such special gifts, care and payment of their bills.
“We want corporate organisations, wealthy families and individuals to remember our brothers and sisters that are passing through special care in the hospital. Nothing is little. Even if it means coming to stay with them a few hours this season and appreciate their conditions and the life God has given them.”
He recalled a remarkable thing that happened last year when a Christian charity organisation visited the hospital and made some donation: “Anybody could become a psychiatric patient. People were moved into tears when one of the patients, a qualified medical laboratory scientist recounted how he was abandoned by his family because he got involved in substance abuse.
“It can happen to anyone. Psychiatry is like any other illness. It’s not a spiritual attack or curse. Let their relations take care of these people the same way they take care of those suffering other sicknesses. These people need empathy, love and care from their families and the community.”
He hailed government for completed and on going projects within the facility, adding that the hospital had continued to work under good industrial harmony. He assured workers that the management would not relent on its commitment to their welfare: “W are looking forward for an end of the year package to appreciate the staff and their efforts this year.”
Chairman of the hospital’s board, Chief Shaban Shuaibu, said that thanksgiving and town hall meeting was necessary to appreciate God for sustaining all the staff, management and board members of the hospital. He promised that the board would continue to implement programmes that impact positively on the hospital as well as improve quality healthcare service delivery.
Rev. Canon Ifeanyi Onah, admonished the staff to see their service as unto God and not to men: “God is the one to fully repay you as you take care of our special patients here.”