The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity, Kaduna state chapter, visited Correctional facility in Kaduna as part of its activities in commemorating 2024 World Mental Health Day.
As part of the visit, the association donated drugs for inmates with mental cases.
NAS President, Prof. Joshua Okpanachi, led a delegation of his team and medical doctors from the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Barnawa Kaduna, who engaged the inmates cell leaders on mental health talks and how they could identify other inmates who exhibit signs and symptoms of mental illness.
The Deputy Vice President of NAS Kaduna, Mr. Anthony Ogbechie, during an interview with newsmen shortly after the sensitisation exercise yesterday revealed that Pyrates Kaduna has secured release of five inmates based on fine.
“We are here to release 5 inmates based on fine, we have already paid their fine to the court and they are processing their release,” he said.
Ogbechie noted that mental instability is perceived everywhere in the country, hence need to educate people on the issue.
“We are using this opportunity to train both the staff and the inmates on the need for us to understand mental stability because as it stands, if you talk about mental disorder, it’s perceived to be everywhere based on the economic situation of the country.
“For this inmates some of them are here for crimes they did not commit, some of them are here because they were mistakenly captured with other criminals, some of them are here not knowing the next level of life to live. The doctors educated them on what to do if they perceived that their co-inmate is behaving abnormal, steps to take in reporting to the authority,” he said.
According to Ogbechie, their expectations is to have improved treatment for inmates, a situation where they will be free to speak out their minds regarding their health situation especially mental health.
Earlier during the sensitisation, some of the inmates lamented lack of proper medical attention.
They said inmates were dying on daily basis due to poor medical attention.
Dr. Asabe Omokaro and Dr. Mohammed Bello from Federal Neuro Psychiatric hospital, Barnawa spoke to the head of cells about mental health and common signs and symptoms.
They however, disclosed that studies have shown that 60 per cent of inmates have one form of mental health issue or the other, saying that it is high when you compare that to the general population.
“While general population is about 25 per cent. We are here to create awareness and to educate them on what mental illness is all about and then the symptoms,” he said.
They identified change in thinking, delusion, behaviour, mood pervasive among others as some of the symptoms of mental disorder.