The Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, is seeking assistance for the treatment and welfare of abandoned indigent mental health patients in the hospital.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, who made the call during an interview on Tuesday in Lagos, said that more than 25 per cent of the patients on admission could not pay their bills.

Mr Owoeye lamented that the number of such patients increased by the day.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to help the indigent and abandoned psychiatric patients to offset their medical bills and meet their daily needs.

He said it had become pertinent that the public come to the aid of these people because the burden of their welfare, medications and upkeep had rested totally upon the hospital for a long time now.

According to him, the current bills and welfare upkeep of the patients, especially the indigent and those abandoned by their relatives, are currently weighing the hospital down financially.

He noted that most of the indigent and abandoned mental health patients spent the rest of their lives in the hospital premise until death calls.

He added that the hospital also catered for the burial of some of the indigent patients who passed on, saying that some of them usually pass on from 60 years, on the average.

He explained that some of the patients were brought by police, while others were either brought into the hospital by their relatives; who left never to check on them again or abandoned at the gate of the hospital.

“Since the hospital serves as a hope of last resort; we have no option than to accommodate them all, including those abandoned at the hospital’s gate. We have quite a good number of indigent patients, as well as those patients abandoned by their relatives; to which the hospital is currently catering for their feeding, clothing, medication and overall upkeep. As I speak, more than 25 per cent of the psychiatric patients on admission in the hospital are unable to pay their bills and do not have anybody or relative whatsoever to assist with the payment.

“Most of these indigent and abandoned patients have lived in the hospital for years and as a result might not be able to trace or locate their families and relatives. By our calling and the spirit of humanity regarding our profession, we cannot leave them to go out of the hospital care and premises as they will constitute danger to themselves, others and society at large.

“So, we are calling on good-spirited Nigerians, philanthropists, groups and faith-based organisations to come to their rescue; to at least offset their bills,” Mr Owoeye said.

Mr Owoeye regretted that many mental health patients were still roaming the streets without anyone caring for them.

According to him, the hospital occasionally picks some of the mental health patients on the streets for treatment and care.

He assured that the hospital would do its possible best to treat, care and assist the indigent and abandoned mental health patients.

He said, “But there is a limit to what we can do, which is why we are soliciting philanthropic gestures to assist to meet their daily needs and care.’’

(NAN)