The Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos has renovated and equipped a drug abuse treatment centre with adequate facilities to boost service delivery.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.

Owoeye said that the renovated centre would enhance service delivery capabilities of the hospital to curb the menace of drug abuse.

Owoeye said the facility was renovated and equipped with 60,000 dollars grant from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission.

He noted that the renovated facility had improved the hospital’s services in rehabilitation of drug abuse.

“The menace of drug in Nigeria now is taking a new dimension; a lot of substances are being abused, a lot of young adults and youths are being involved.

“So, there’s a need to look at this problem head-on and proffer solutions. To this end, the hospital has a newly renovated and equipped drug abuse rehabilitation centre,” Owoeye said.

He said that more staff had been trained and empowered to manage the facility to take care of people with drug abuse challenge.

Owoeye said that they were trained under the hospital’s ‘drug advisory programme curriculum’, otherwise known as ‘colombo drug advisory programme.

He explained that the training programme was sponsored by the Federal Government with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“In this programme, we have been able to train more than 400 drug professionals, who are responsible for treatment of those people with drug related problems,” he said.

Owoeye, who lauded the Federal Government for its supports, listed a stand-alone molecular laboratory, 10-bedded intensive care unit, and another 10-bedded amenity ward was received by the hospital from the government.

According to him, these are part of the efforts of the Federal Government in tackling drug abuse in the country. He explained that the facilities would ensure access to mental healthcare services within Nigeria rather than travelling abroad for such services.

The Mayo Clinic Graduate Medical Education has nominated Dr. Tolulope “Tolu” Kehinde as the sole recipient of the Barbara Bush award, across all three campuses.

Dr. Kehinde is a third year anesthesiology resident at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, which emerged top on the list by Newsweek and Statista Inc, a global data firm, ranking “World’s Best Hospitals” list.

Since 2019, American news magazine, Newsweek, has partnered with Statista Inc, a global data firm, to create its “World’s Best Hospitals” list.

The list ranks hospitals around the world based on expert recommendations, patient experience survey data and key performance indicators to provide patients with important care information and serve as a benchmarking tool for hospitals.

This year, Mayo Clinic’s Rochester, Minnesota campus ranked Number 1–for the fourth time, based on its commitment to world-class medical education plays a significant role in its success as a premier medical institution.

As of January 2022, there were over 1800 residents and fellows training in several medical and surgical specialities across the Clinic’s three locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, making it one of the world’s largest teaching hospitals.

To honor trainees’ contributions to the enterprise, every year, the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education recognizes trainees who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to delivering the highest quality patient-centered care.

One such recognition is the Barbara Bush Distinguished Fellowship Award, named after the former US first lady and former Mayo Clinic Board of Trustee member. This annual award celebrates outstanding clinical performance, scholarly activity, and places particular emphasis on humanitarianism.

This year, based on a nomination by the Rochester campus’ anesthesiology residency program director, Dr. Kehinde was chosen as the sole recipient of the Barbara Bush award, across all three campuses.

According to her profile, Dr. Kehinde was born in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, where she excelled from a young age. After primary school, she attended the prestigious Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, held student leadership roles and represented the school at the various regional and national competitions.

She later went to the United States, where she graduated magma cum laude with a bachelor of arts in Neuroscience and Behavior from Mount Holyoke College.

During her time at Mount Holyoke, Kehinde, although primarily a science major, became interested in the social sciences and humanities. Through her coursework, personal reflection, and interactions with other African students, Kehinde began to examine the complexities of health and socioeconomic systems on the continent.

After completing an internship with a non-governmental organization in Uganda focused on HIV awareness in youths, Kehinde enrolled in a combined medicine and business degree program at Dartmouth.

Here, she again supplemented coursework with real world experience, seeking out internships at the Rwandan Ministry of Health and later, the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, where she created the vision and strategy for ALforHealth, a panAfrican, multidisciplinary healthcare network.

During this time, Dr. Kehinde also compiled and edited a global medical anthology titled, Human: Voices of Tomorrow’s Doctors, which was published in 2019, and explores the psychosocial implications of medical training.

In spite of a grueling residency schedule, Kehinde partnered with colleagues to create the Mayo Global Perioperative Health Collaborative, aimed at supporting sustainable global anesthesiology education partnerships and promoting safe anesthesiology practices, especially in under-resourced countries.

Nigerian government has announced plans to phase out hazard allowance paid to medical doctors and other health workers in medical centres and clinics in Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.

According to a circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, signed by its Chairman, Ekpto U.O Nta, said, “It should be noted that the payment of hazard allowance in the Federal Public Service will be phased out where applicable soon as the on-going migration of all federal government workers, including medical and health workers, to Employees Compensation Act. 2010 is concluded.”

The circular also announced the approval of President Muhammad Buhari for upward review of medical doctors’ and other health workers’ hazard allowance in Federal Medical Centres and clinics in MDAs.

“Associations in the health sector which were conciliated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved the review of hazard allowance applicable in Federal Hospitals, Medical Centres and Clinics in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.”

According to the review, a CONHESS non-Clinical staff on grade level 01 to 05, would be paid hazard allowance of N15,000 monthly as against instead of N5000.

For CONNESS Clerical on grade level 01 to 05, instead of N5,000.00, would earn N16,000.00 monthly.

The circular said for CONNESS Non Clinical staff on grade level 06 to 12, as against N5,000.00, would be paid hazard allowance of N30,000.00, while CONNESS Clinical staff on grade level 06 to 12 will paid N32,000.00 monthly as against N5,000.00.

Similarly, CONNESS Non-Clinical staff on grade level 13 to15, instead of N5,000.00, would be paid N32000.00, CONNESS Clinical staff on grade level 13 to 15, instead of N5,000.00, would be paid N34,000.00 monthly.

According to the circular, for interns/NYSC Doctors on CONMESS, as against N5000 a month, they would be paid N32, 000 monthly.

Those on grade level 02, would be paid N32,000 monthly as against N5000.

Also, those on grade level 03 and 04, instead of N5000, they would be paid N35,000 monthly, while those on grade level 05 to 07 would be paid N40,000 monthly as against N5000.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has taken up a responsibility by sensitizing Youths on adverse effects of drug abuse in the society.

The Lagos West Senatorial district of the NYCN under the leadership of Comrade Jamiu Ademosu partnered with Imeyreach foundation to stage a youth programme tagged, “My Mental Health, My Sustainability,” in Agege Area of Lagos.

To address the youths, the convener had on their panel session, a mental health Psychologist from Imeyreach foundation, Oluwanifesimi Opawale as well as Mr Isaac Unuene, Agege, Ikeja and Ifako-Ijaye area commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

According to the NDLEA area commander, Mr Unuene said, “The Agency would continue to collaborate with NGOs, government agencies and individuals in reorienting Nigerian youths against drugs.

NDLEA alone cannot handle it all but need collaboration to reduce it in the society as he pointed that the Agency will ensure it cuts source of drugs supply by arresting the distributors in the society.

 The Youth Mental Health program is eminent following the instabilities and adverse effect of drugs on the young people in Nigeria .

The Vice-Chairman, NYCN Lagos West Senatorial district Comrade Ademosu, believed it was an initiative meant to safeguard the life of young people by bringing them together for education on mental health and sustainability.

A number of youths from across 28 local government areas of Lagos were at the event endorsed as ambassadors to champion the cause of youth mental health in their various communities.

On the criteria for selection, Comrade Ademosu disclose that, over 170 youths applied for the ambassadorial role but with a thorough selection process, 25 were successful shortlisted and trained on the mental health and drug abuse to be able to carry out their responsibility in the society.

The convener advised Nigerian youths to shun drug abuse in any form that can affect their mental health toward building a better Nigerian society.

Some health experts said, the only way to overcome the health challenges in Nigeria is for the rich and the poor to have access to the same health care system through the National Health Insurance Bill.

According to one of the experts, the Managing Director, Ultimate Health, Lekan Ewenla, said, “A good health insurance scheme will help to curb the issue of self-medication and spiritualising of health challenges due to poverty.

He urged health practitioners to look for a way to deal with inflation without compromising the quality of healthcare services given to the people.

The scheme recommended a minimum of 2,500 enrollees per facility, but if a facility has less than the recommended 2,500, they will be operating at a loss. Enrollees in some facilities are not treated well because the primary provider that is the risk-taker does not have the recommended volume.

Earlier, the outgoing chairman of the board, Mr. Dahiru Muhammed, also stated that change was not easy to accept, adding that this had played out in the reception of Nigerians towards the health insurance scheme since 2005 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo introduced the legislation.

Regarding the health insurance bill and its implementation, Muhammed said, it will work, but it would be a herculean task because if we force it.

There would be a need for a lot of education, publicity, persuasion, and cajoling to enlist people into the scheme. The best way to go through it is to go through the local government.