"We Need more Psychiatric Hospitals in Lagos State"

Two psychiatrists --  Dr Maymunah Kadiri, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Dr Oluyemi Ogun, the Director, Clinical Services, Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital, Yaba- on Sunday called for the establishment of more psychiatric hospitals in Lagos State in view of the high level of stress and mental disorders recorded in the state.

“The rate of traffic jam in Lagos and the stress placed on people and society affect their mental wellbeing.


“The stress in Lagos can cause depression, anxiety and other forms of mental illnesses,'' she said.

Kadiri advised the state government to establish more psychiatric hospitals to cater for the high rate of mental disorder in the state.

She noted that Lagos had overtaken Cairo as Africa’s biggest city and needed more psychiatric facilities to meet the mental challenges faced by residents.

Kadiri believed that such mental health infrastructure would ensure that the residents were socially and emotionally healthy.

On her part, Ogun said that the opening of more psychiatric hospitals was necessary to de-congest the Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital and increase access to mental healthcare.

She said that the state had only one psychiatric hospital which was inadequate to cater for the growing number of mental cases recorded daily.

"We see between 15 and 20 new cases everyday and from 150 to 200 patients on a clinic day; doctors are challenged because one doctor may have to see over 50 patients per day.