People who have mentally challenged persons as family members have been urged not to maltreat or discriminate against them because of their state of health.
Ekiti State commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Moji Yaya-Kolade gave this advice on Tuesday during her visit to the Psychiatric Department of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH Ado-Ekiti where a psychiatric patient (name withheld) who was delivered of a baby girl is undergoing intensive care.
Dr. Yaya- Kolade said family members should not see their challenged mental condition as something embarrassing, adding that mental illness can happen to anybody for various reasons.
The commissioner said the government of Dr. Kayode Fayemi has come to listen and attend to the concerns of Ekiti people, especially now that Human Services is now added to the Ministry of Health.
“Our attention was drawn to a psychiatric patient that put to bed on the street of Ayede-Ekiti, she could have had the baby in the hospital but because she didn’t know, she had her baby on the street. It is our responsibility to take care of such people and that is exactly what we have done as a government”
The Doctor handling the case, Dr. Esther Akinsoto said the Commissioner for Health informed her of the incident through a phone call and she swung into action by moving her to the Psychiatric Department of the EKSUTH where she would be giving proper medical and psychiatric management.
She commended the state government for not discriminating against anybody irrespective of their state of health. “The woman is very intelligent because I have interacted with her, I am sure if she is well treated she will get better and fit to take good care of the baby”, she explained.
Dr. Akinsoto however said people of Ekiti should be happy to have voted Dr. Fayemi who showed genuine concerns for the people’s welfare.
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran
