Over 25% Of Patients At Psychiatric Hospital Are Abandoned

This Thursday, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, the Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital in Yaba, Lagos, bemoaned the fact that over 25 percent of the psychiatric patients in the hospital had been abandoned by their families.

Dr. Owoeye disclosed this information to journalists in Lagos and described the situation as worrisome due to the growing number of abandoned mental health patients in the hospital.

He explained that most of the patients who were on admission are not able to pay their bills and asked Nigerians to support the patients.

The Medical Director also urged that fellow Nigerians help out the indigent and abandoned psychiatric patients to offset their medical bills and meet their daily needs.

“We have quite a good number of indigent patients, as well as those patients abandoned by their relatives; who the hospital is currently catering for their feeding, clothing, medication and overall upkeep. As I speak, over 25 percent of the psychiatric patients on admission in the hospital are unable to pay their bills and do not have anybody or relation 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.”