Yaba psychiatric hospital claims over 25% of patients on admission abandoned

The Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye , on Thursday lamented that over 25 percent of patients in the hospital had been abandoned by their relatives.

Owoeye, who disclosed this to journalists in Lagos, described as worrisome the growing number of abandoned mental health patients in the hospital.

He said most of the patients on admission could not pay their bills and asked Nigerians to support the patients.

The medical director also urged Nigerians to help the indigent and abandoned psychiatric patients to offset their medical bills and meet their daily needs.

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He said: “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.”

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