A consultant psychiatrist Dr. Biku Ayodeji Abass of the federal medical center Birnin Kebbi has attributed the escalation of mental issues in Kebbi to social stigma from members of the public.
According to him many patients who could have been properly managed at the hospital remains at home due to stigma associated with their type of sickness.
Biku said the causes of mental illness are three, there are hereditary, social problems, and mental disorders caused by loss of loved ones or job losses.
The psychiatric expert added that except for ones caused by drug addictions others are not curable but manageable but even the ones caused by hard drug intakes can be cured if the patient turns up early at the hospital for treatment.
He explained that the response from patients is impressive due to their sustained advocacy in towns and villages in Kebbi state as it helped patients influx of patients from within and outside.
He described inadequate mental health officers as an impediment to large coverage in the state, he said he has been the only psychiatric doctor for three years in Kebbi before he was joined by a new doctor and some nurses.
He trained to assist them and called on members of the public to avoid local centers for the treatment of mental issues because the medical world is opposed to the chaining of patients which said can cause the death of patients.
He thanked the state government for her assistance in what he is doing.
