Neuro-Psychiatrist Makes Case For More Asylums

Following the high rate of mental illness in the country, a Neuro-Psychiatrist at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Dr. Nkpogu Kennedy, has called on the Federal Government to establish a Mental Rehabilitation Centre in Rivers State.
Kennedy during a media interactive programme organised by Siliverbird Communications in Port Harcourt at the weekend stressed the need for the establishment of more psychiatric centres out of the eight Psychiatric centres being established in the country, Rivers State has none except the state-owned Psychiatry Hospital at Rumuigbo.
With about 64 million Nigerians inflicted with various mental aliments the neuro-psychiatrist stressed that the country needed more Rehabilitation centres and trained personnel to help check the malaise.
Kennedy revealed that as at present, the country had about 400 psychiatrists, stating that “there should have been one psychiatrist to about 600 persons, but with this figure, it is one psychiatrist to 2 million persons.
The manpower is very low and the facilities and equipment are not there”.
He blamed the situation on the spate of mental illness amongst youths, especially the high use of psychiatric substances such as alcohol, cannabis and cocaine.
According to the Neuro-Psychiatrist, “substance abuse – among youths is a malajustive behaviour because they are not meaningfully engaged, so instead of brooding over their problems, they would want to take something that they feel could help them.
Kennedy pointed out that apart from stress due to poor economic, and social climate, many Nigerians were suffering from depression, and therefore called on government to evolve policies that would improve the life of the common people.
He identified depression as one of the early signs of mental illness, which often goes with decreased energy, gradual withdrawal of an individual from activities which he is used to and poor appetite and further explained that in severe cases, an individual could start nurturing feeling of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts and death wish, and even deliberate self harm.
The Neuro-Psychiatrist further explained that it was not only insane persons on the streets that were mentally ill, saying “a lot of people are mentally ill without necessarily exhibiting it on the streets” , and called on government to boost and improve psychiatric medicine by establishing rehabilitation centres across the country.
The Psychiatrist praised the culture of sharing problems which according to him had helped in curtailing mental illness, and urged all spheres of government to make policies that would check unemployment, illiteracy and social vices, such as rape, terrorism and kidnapping.

Executive Director, Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Mr Noble Pepple (left), with General Manager, Business Development and Job Creation, Mrs Blessing Daniel-Kalio (middle) and Managing Director, ICMSE Nigeria Limited, Dr Mostaq Ahmmed, during presentation of starter packs to micro enterpreneurs in Woji, Port Harcourt, recently.