Our monthly allocation barely covers electricity cost, says Yaba Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital MD

Richard Ademola Adebayo is a Consultant Psychiatrist and a Clinical Psychologist. He is the acting Medical Director at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba. In this interview with ANTHONIA OBOKOH, he speaks on mental health disorder, development and the myriad of challenges facing the hospital.

FNPH’s metamorphosis

Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba (FNPH) has metamorphosed from an asylum centre to a modern day hospital which by next year will be 110 years old. The hospital has about 500 beds, which operates fewer than two different centres with the annex in Oshodi, Lagos. Averages of 20 new patients are registered per day. Some sub-specialist units under the centre include; child adolescent psychiatric unit, drug rehabilitation specialist unit, adult drum psychiatric and other existing units.

New developments so far since you came on board

Since I came on board, our service has spurred increase with completion of our new emergency unit. We moved from the old emergency unit formerly operational with only two to a standard six units, hence reducing the time lag spent by patients to access medical care to the barest minimum. A lot of renovations are ongoing despite the economic recession and reduced funding in Abuja.

Despite markedly reduced funding, expansion of laboratory to have breathing space for work, toilet facilities, new equipment for the emergency unit and other facilities will continue. In collaboration with University of Maryland in Baltimore, we are into research work and some doctors are in notable centres in the world on research.

Effort is being made to give more training to practitioners. In the last one year , we have had training organised by World Health Organization (WHO) for drugs abuse and this place is being recognized, it is a plus to us.

What are your present challenges?

We are financially suffocating. Overhead cost was reduced in the 2015 from N149 million to N40 million in 2016, a 77% decrease. So what we get monthly can barely bear for electricity let alone diesel. About N2.6 million was used last month for diesel and we are running two different centres. The cost of feeding has increased from N5 Million to N7 million per month. Staff members are being exposed to molestation and violated by patients and occupational hazards fee of N5, 000.00 is paid monthly, which is a challenge to our staff.

The government needs to honestly look into the direction of mental health and see how the practitioners can be integrated. We have more Nigerian doctors practicing in the western world than here due to occupational hazards and questionable working condition. Another challenge is our attitude towards victims of mental disorder. It is unfortunate in this part of the world that people still hold on to cultural and religious belief about mental disorder on patients, even relatives.

Those of us that are practitioners, health workers, care givers; the society stigmatizes and looks down on us, especially our patients. Most patients are brought to us when their conditions are critical and chronic and it is unfair. We should change our attitude. Patients that manifest in terms of dementia are labelled witches and wizards. In other parts of the world, people have done away with such practices and orientation, but we still hold on to them. Patients suffering from mental disorder should be seen as human beings and we should say no to stigmatization and reach out to help them.

Attitude of workers at the centre

Workers have been supportive despite the unfriendly social economic situation, and it is the greatest achievement. The fact is that we have been working rather than going on strike. Maturity is shown and it has been very peaceful.

Care for the mentally challenged

The desire to care for people, especially people the society have termed outcast and looked at with disdain is a great feeling to me. Whether they have been abandoned or not, for a person to be at the Centre is not a joke, it means the family member has passed through social, emotional and economic hardship. Therefore, there can be nothing more fulfilling than giving them succour. To me, it’s a service to God and humanity.

Common mental disorders

Depression is the commonest mental disorder reported in Nigeria and all over the world. Some depressions are major, chronic, manic and severe cases are reported to specialist Centres. The major form of disorder is schizophrenia and it affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality.Other mental disorders include anxiety, panic attacks, phobia, sleep disorder, sex disorder and others. Mentally disordered patients are less than 10% of Nigeria’s population.

The hallmark of mental disorder is core distress. Cultural, religious beliefs and their effect on patients with mental disorder in Nigeria Beliefs presume patients with mental disorder are people who are afflicted with evil by the gods. Most elderly patients who manifest dementia are labelled witches and wizards. In the other parts of the world, people have done way with such practices and orientation, but we still hold on to them. Not all mental disorders need spirituality or prayers, psychiatrist are needed.

Average stay for patients

A patient on admission averagely stays in the hospital for 8 weeks so we can treat and also commence rehabilitation. Average deposit of N50,000 is made which can be higher depending on the medication the patient is taking.

Do people get cured from mental disorder?

It depends on the type of disorder they have, some can be cured but majority need to be managed and be on medication which they have to take over a period of years, they also do well.