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Chuks Udo Okonta
The need for an enhanced commitments to development of Nigeria’s health sector, has been revealed with the present condition of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba, which presently has only 535 beds to serve over 22 million population in Lagos.
The revelation was made when Alliance and General Insurance Plc, as part of it’s Valentine Day celebration, visited the Hospital yesterday to show love to patients of the Hospital.
The Medical Director of the Hospital Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, said the Hospital which was established on October 30, 1907, has 535 beds to take care of over 22 million people living in Lagos, who may need the services of the Hospital.
“We don’t have enough facilities to take care of over 22 million people in Lagos.
“Our emergency is always busy, but the beautiful thing is that there is treatment for the patients.
“May of our patients are accountants; lawyers; doctors and some professors. They just come, take treatment and go.
“We have 535 beds to take care of 22 million people in Lagos, which is grossly inadequate,” he said.
He solicited support from Alliance and General Insurance in building a structure that can be named after it, to enable the Hospital expand its services to more patients.
He said there are over 500 patients in the Hospital, adding that many of the patients don’t have anybody non family members to cater for them.
According to him, the hospital cloths; treat and care for the patients who have no assistance, stating that when they die, it is also the responsibility of the Hospital to bury them.
He called on Nigerians to show more love to the patients by supporting the Hospital in any capacity they can.
ABOUT THE HOSPITAL
The Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba came into existence on October 30th1907, when her first batch of 48 inmates was admitted in a disused Nigeria Railway Building at Yaba.
The Hospital has gone through four developmental stages. The Asylum stage is the earliest of these stages. At this formative stage, the hospital provided an inviolable refuge for the mentally ill away from the society.
Yaba psychiatric hospitalThe hospital was known as Yaba Lunatic Asylum. There were no resident doctors during this period; Medical doctors from the Ministry of Health made regular visits to the Asylum.
In the next stage which marked the beginning of the progressive development of the hospital, emphasis shifted to therapy. It began with the arrival of Mr. Abraham A. Ordia in 1951, a male Psychiatric Nurse and the first Nigerian mental health worker. He later became the hospital’s Chief Nursing Superintendent.
In 1956, Late Chief Ordia was joined by Chief J. A. Oyebode who, on Chief Ordia’s departure, took over as Chief Nursing Superintendent. Until 1961 the hospital did not have full-time qualified Psychiatrists and had to make do with an arrangement whereby a doctor visited on a weekly basis to attend to the physical needs of Patients.
The third stage was the introduction of qualified Psychiatrist. The first Psychiatrist to be appointed to full-time duty at the hospital was Late Dr. Professor Alexander Borrofka, a German, who continued with the development of the hospital.
A Nigerian Psychiatrist, Dr. A. Marinho worked with and took over from Dr. Borrofka. Dr. Marinho was succeeded by late Dr. Bertha Johnson, who handed over to Dr. O. B. Orija, Dr. I. O. Malomo later took over from Dr.Orija.
When Lagos State was created in 1967 the hospital was inherited by the new State Government during the tenure of the Lagos State’s first Military Governor, Brigadier General Mobolaji Johnson. Four new Wards and one modern Cafeteria (the first set of purpose-built modern building in the 20th Century), were added. The Cafeteria had since been named after him. The hospital was again taken over by Federal Government in December, 1975.
The fourth stage began during Dr. Johnson’s incumbency as Medical Director/Chief Consultant, and Continued with vigor under Dr. O. B. Orija followed by Dr. I. O. Malomo who handed over to Dr. H. T.O.Ladapo.
Dr. O.C. Ogun was at the helm of affairs in acting capacity between November, 2010 and August, 2011 when the baton of leadership of the hospital was handed over to Dr. R. A. Lawal, the substantive Medical Director between 22nd August, 2011 and 26th October, 2015.
Dr. R.A. Adebayo took over the headship of the hospital in acting capacity between 26th October, 2015 and 30th June, 2017.
He thereafter handed over to Dr. O.C. Ogun who became the substantive Medical Director on 1st June, 2017.
The hospital is over 112 years in existence, she had had her name changed severally, starting from “Yaba Lunatic Asylum” to Yaba Mental Home”, Yaba Mental Hospital, Yaba Psychiatric Centre” “The Psychiatric Hospital Yaba” and presently called “Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba.
The hospital in 2019 marked her 112thAnniversary.
OSHODI ANNEXE OF THE HOSPITAL
The Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Oshodi Annex came into existence immediately after the 2nd World war in 1948. Some of the Veterans who fought in the 2nd World war developed some Psychological and mental health disorders. They were resettled at the Centre.
The Centre later became a convalescence Home for mentally ill Patients who had been treated in Psychiatric Hospital Yaba to recover fully. Nurses from Yaba were then sent to the home to give the Patients their drugs.
Today, the Centre has grown into a full fledge Hospital and currently accommodates the biggest Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Centre in Nigeria.
The Oshodi Annex continues to provide comprehensive Mental Health Services to our Patients. The annex provides access to the hospital services for those living within Oshodi annex and its environs.
