Psychiatry Hospital Records 110% Increase in Patients As More Nigerians Ran Mad In 2016

The Federal Neuro Psychiatry Hospital, Yaba, has said it attended to more patients this year.

Acting Managing Director Dr Richard Adebayo said the increase was 111 per cent.  According to a breakdown, there were 32,261 females to last year’s 13,730, a 135 per cent rise, and 21,026 male attendances against last year’s 11,537, an 82 per cent rise.

Dr Adebayo spoke yesterday in Lagos while giving this year’s annual report.

He said new patients recorded this year were 4,031 compared to last year’s 2,531, a 59 per cent rise compared to last year.

The breakdown showed 2,001 males compared to last year’s 1,306 (53 per cent rise) and 2,030 females compared to last year’s 1,225.

Those admitted rose from 594 last year to 867, with 37 per cent increase for males, 487 this year against 356 last year; 380 females this year against 238 last year, a  60 per cent rise.

Also, there is 25 per cent rise in deaths – with four males this year against one last year, a 300 per cent increase.

Only one female died this year compared with three last year, a 67 per cent increase.

Dr Adebayo said with increasing patients, the hospital built six more consulting rooms in its Emergency Unit.

He appealed for an understanding on mental health, to assist those afflicted.

“This is because Nigerians are ignorant about psychiatric disorders. The few who are aware are wary of seeking help because of the fear of stigmatisation, hence their situations are always, almost out of hand before they are rushed to the hospital.

“A lot of these disorders could be nipped in the bud if identified and attended to early. A large scale of awareness education/campaign is required so that our people are better informed and take appropriate actions when the need arises,” he said.

Dr Adebayo said the hospital needed more funds because “the need for budgetary allocation training and development manpower in a specialist hospital as ours cannot be over-emphasised and therefore there is a need for funding to make this a reality.”