The Provost/Chief Medical Director, Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr. Adegboyega Ogunlesi, on Thursday, said that the hospital in the last nine months had recorded 2,000 fresh cases for various mental illnesses.

Ogunlesi advocated decentralisation of psychiatric health facilities in the country that would involve people at the grassroots. He said this in Abeokuta, at a press conference to mark the 2009 World Mental-Health Day campaign, that the hospital might likely record about 3,000 patients before the end of the year.

The provost contended that mental health treatment needed to be built into the nation’s primary health care system since the majority of the nation’s population resided in the rural areas where there was no access to medical facilities.

He said: “This is one of the challenges of the modern day psychiatric system; that’s the delivery of mental health services at the grassroots. The centralisation of psychiatric treatment further compounds the stigmatisation of the patients, as people will know everyone that seeks treatment in the federal establishments. So, we don’t want more of the central hospitals.”
http://www.tribune.com.ng/09102009/news/news19.html

---

do you reall love me JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1787754774&ref=profile