A Consultant Psychiatrist, Anambra Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Nwafia, Njikoka LGA, Dr Chukwuweta Onuorah, has identified economic meltdown as one of the contributory factors to spate of mental health disorder in the country.
Onuorah, who disclosed this in an interview, explained that economic decline made it impossible for people to meet up their demands which in turn lead some to drug abuse and other social vices culminating into psychological depressions and mental health challenge.
He said the hospital in the last eight months, treated over 8, 000 mental health patients within the age brackets of 17 years and above, which he attributed to mass awareness created on patronage of mental health facility by people in need.
The consultant, while stressing that mental health problems can occur at any age and the symptoms differ though the signs may start manifesting in persons prone to such illness between 14 to 17 years, called for establishment of more mental health hospitals in the state and the recruitment of more man power.
Onuorah, who also made case for introduction of health units in all the teaching hospitals especially in the state in place of Out Patience Department, said that Anambra sate has inadequate mental health hospitals and manpower to carter for her over five million residents.
According to him, there are only 37 bed spaces in his hospital to attend to over 1, 000 patients that sought their services on monthly basis.
“The mental health sector in the country needs uplift; it is not only in Anambra that the inadequacies exist, in fact some states do not even have a mental health outfit at all.
“There is urgent need for more mental health hospitals and good enumeration for health workers in the country and adequate facilities so as to bridge the level of brain drain in the health sector,” he stated.
The psychiatrist consultant advised patients and relatives to pay close attentions to their people and report to hospital on identifying signs of unusual behavior from them such as withdrawal, aggressive acts, hearing voices, dwell in hallucinations and others.
