ECOWAS supports Neuropsychiatric Hospitals with Infrastructures, Others in Sokoto

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has supported Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Kware in Sokoto state with infrastructural renovation, patients’ rehabilitatiive and empowerment equipment.

The FNPH Kware Medical Director, Professor Shehu Sale, disclosed this to the newsmen Kware local government area, Sokoto state.

Professor Sale said the effort was part of ECOWAS Commission’s pilot support intervention for selected substance use treatment facilities in the member states.

”Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos and the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto were selected as approved facilities by the commission,” he stated.

The Medical Director noted that the gesture was aimed at promoting a public health approach toward addressing substance use disorders by providing equipment and services that would enhance treatment and recovery of people with substance use disorders.

”It was based on guided reports of the 2019 ECOWAS Empirical Survey on Substance Use Treatment in member states and the National Drug Use Survey,” he added.

He explained that the selected facilities have duly undertaken pre-qualification assessments before they were selected.

”Before qualifying for the intervention, each facility had conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of the recreational facilities, rehabilitative services and vocational equipment for treatment of substance use disorders,” he said.

According to him, ECOWAS commission has undertaken procurement processes and awarded contracts that included renovation of Drug Addiction Treatment ,Education and Research (DATER) ward building, and construction of a lobby for recreational activities.

He said the Commission also installed overhead water tank and pumping machine.

”In the procurements, ECOWAS commission installed Alternative Power Supply (APS), provided empowerment training tools that included Industrial Sewing Machines, Hair Dressing Salon and Barbing equipment as well as Gymnastics items for recreational activities.

”Other items supplied in the DATER ward under the support programme included two sets of Table Tennis special aluminium American outdoor tennis board, two sets of Snooker boards, three sets of Monopoly, three sets ludo, three sets of Chess board, three sets of scrabble, indoor games.

”Other equipment supplied include 2.5HP Fitness Treadmill with body massager and eight Ergometer Stationary Magnetic Exercise Bike,” Sale noted.

He further explained that substance use disorder is a pattern of substance use that causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, relationship problems and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.

The Consultant Psychiatrist noted that substance use has taken an increasing and disturbing trend in the North and Sokoto state in particular since the report showed the strategic location of the hospital in the border town to Niger republic.

”This has also led to the influx of individuals with substance use from neighbouring countries,” Sale added.

He reiterated that this intervention by ECOWAS Commission has strengthen the substance use unit for a better and more comprehensive service and this will curb the increasing trend in the North-west region of Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

The Medical Director further commended President Muhammadu Buhari, ECOWAS Commission and Ministers of Health over the effort that would surely enhance productivity in mental health administration.

The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Kware is one of the nine Tertiary Specialist Psychiatric hospital established in 1996 with potential in terms of manpower and health professionals attending to the challenges posed by mental health issues.

The hospital provides inpatient acute treatment, outpatient treatment, psychotherapeutic intervention and rehabilitation for individuals with sustenance use disorders.