DAYS TO INSTITUTIONALISE MENTAL ILLNESS OVER: Dr OROTALOA

Mental illness awareness. Photo credit: www.ncadp.org

Head of Mental Health Services, Dr Paul Orotaloa says the days to institutionalise people with mental illness are over.

Dr Paul told SIBC News, the law does not allow individuals with mental illness to stay for longer periods in mental institutions.

He said patients from the institutions return to the community as soon as they are treated medically at the hospital.

Dr Orotatolao adds a lack of community awareness of the care people with mental illness need is a main challenge health authorities are facing in their work.

“In terms of how we cope with these changes is the biggest issue. As a society, we do not have the knowledge and skills available at the community level because we do not have enough manpower and resources to reach out with these knowledge and skills, which based only on the few professionals, so there’s hardly any awareness, outreach, community-oriented activities carried out so there is a huge mismatch.”