The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government to increase its investments in Psychiatric Hospitals, in view of the vulnerable state and economic challenges of people with mental disorders.
NANS Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone ‘A’ Mr Adamu Kichinga, made the call on Saturday when he led Union executives and other members on a facility tour of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Kware in Sokoto state, as part of the union’s activities following her national conference.
Kichinga, who represented the National President of the union, Mr Sunday Adedayo, said the association conducted the conference after 40 years, at the Sokoto state University, to improve its constitution.
- AKTH Psychiatry department to mark World Epilepsy Day
- Malnutrition hits 13 Kano Psychiatric Rehabilitation Centres – SEMA
” NANS was in Sokoto for its constitutional review conference where the association reviewed its 40-year-old Constitution at the Sokoto state University.
” The reviewed Constitution was signed at the Sokoto state Government house, in the presence of the Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambuwal ” He said.
He explained that to expand the gathering and allow members to examine developments, members undertook tours of the state and federal government institutions, including FNPH Kware.
He expressed appreciation over the recorded transformations in the hospital under the leadership of Prof. Shehu Sale, who had distinguished himself as an astute healthcare administrator and eminent psychiatrist par excellence.
The Union Leader presented the NANS meritorious award and installed Sale as NANS’ National Ambassador, in recognition of his philanthropic services, students’ welfare and overall development of the hospital.
Speaking at the event, former Medical Director of the hospital and a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Abdullahi Ibrahim, said FNPH Kware had witnessed remarkable progress in terms of upgrade of existing facilities and consolidation of skilled manpower developments.
Ibrahim said that the hospital also recorded an expansion in its services of providing integrated healthcare services to the people.
” I am on ground and witnessed different progress and developments in all aspect of the hospital services all under the leadership of Prof. Shehu Sale.
” The NANS recognition to Sale, is merited and justified due to the great transformations recorded in the hospital.
” Sale renovated all the wards, administrative block and the staff quarters in the hospital were upgraded to modern standards, including installation of gates, perimeter fence, road networks, street lightings, laboratories and pharmacy, ” Ibrahim said.
According to him, total bed spaces and staff strength had been doubled under Sale’s stewardship, as well as the restoration of the full accreditation status of the post-basic Psychiatric nursing school at the hospital.
Responding, Sale thanked NANS’ members for the recognition, saying that it would serve as a motivation to increase his efforts in uplifting services.
He urged the management and other staff of the hospital to continue their support to achieve excellence in hospital service delivery.
The Federal Government, he noted, had also funded new major projects under its COVID-19 interventions like the molecular laboratory, Intensive Care Unit and Isolation centre, commending the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, for his support to achieving the successes in the hospital.
Sale listed the projects to include; construction and equipping of intensive care unit, construction and equipping of molecular laboratory, construction and equipping of isolation centre and procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
He added that the completed projects were already impacting positively on service delivery in the hospital.
According to him, the projects would also deliver improved healthcare to the hard-to-reach communities, in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to the provision of Essential Healthcare Services. (NAN)
