Increase in mentally ill patients worries Kilu’ufi Hospital
Kilu’ufi hospital situated in the medical compound.
A senior health officer at Kilu’ufi Hospital in Malaita has raised concerns about the increase in mentally ill patients at the hospital.
Morris Misipoe said admissions of mentally ill patients spiked this month and were significantly higher than admissions earlier this year and on the same dates last year.
He said most of the patients were young adult males who had a history of using marijuana or other drugs.
Mr Misipoe says almost all beds in the male psychiatric ward were occupied.
He said it was troubling that there were more individuals who need care, but there was limited space to accommodate them.
“There are not enough beds here to accommodate all these patients, and we are also aware that there are still some mentally ill people out there in the public,” he said.
“It is sad to see most of these patients are young people, It just shows the unhealthy lifestyle that most young people are living today.”
Mr Misipoe said community leaders and the government should do more to address this issue.
By: Lowen Sei.