The Kebbi State Government has provided free medications to approximately 27,000 mentally ill patients throughout the state’s 21 Local Government Areas.
At the Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua General Hospital in Zauro on Saturday, Alhaji Zayyanu Umar-Aliero, the State Commissioner for Special Duties, announced this.
”The distribution of drugs today marks another commencement of the fortnightly dispensation of free medical treatment to persons with psychiatric problems.
”Governor Nasir Idris mandated my ministry to resolve all issues about the treatment of people with mental illnesses to ensure there is continuity in the availability and distribution of free drugs for their treatment.
”The government advises parents and guardians to strictly adhere to prescription in administering the drugs on their children and relations to avoid complications and also avoid selling the drugs for self-benefit,” he advised.
Additionally, Umar-Aliero declared that the patients from all 21 of the state’s councils would now receive free meals and transportation provided by the state government.
According to him, this would facilitate their treatment and transportation and provide more accessibility for positive outcomes.
”New patients being registered are also granted similar opportunity of free feeding, free transport and free drugs which had helped to reduce significantly persons with mental illness in the state,” the commissioner said.
Dr. Shamsudeen Isma’il, the hospital’s consultant psychiatrist, had earlier stated that the medications were accessible and would last the entire intended course of treatment for the patients.
NAN.
