The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has disclosed plans to build a mental health support centre for victims of Boko Haram insurgency in a federal neuropsychiatric hospital in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
The managing Director of the commission, Goni Alkali, disclosed this at NEDC headquarters in Maiduguri on Friday while addressing the Chief Medical Director of Federal Neuropsychiatric and his delegation who paid him a courtesy visit.
He noted that the centre will help in speeding up the process of recovery and to prevent problems that the victims of Boko Haram conflict may encounter in the future.
According to him, the 14 years of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East has traumatised many people and may impede their ability to live a normal life.
“The centre will help the victims of the insurgency to be able to live independently following their recovery by improving their survival rates.
“As we know, a trauma center is very important in providing the highest level of care for a patient who experienced a traumatic injury during the insurgency, especially, for the Internally Displaced Persons who were previously under the control of non-state armed groups”.
The MD explained that the NEDC is committed to providing support to health care centres and hospitals to ensure effective delivery of health care services in the region.
He said based on the request of the hospital, the commission would provide all support needed for the hospital in terms of infrastructure, equipment, training among others to ensure effective service delivery to patients.
Earlier speaking, the Medical Director of Maiduguri Federal Neuropsychiatric, Professor Ibrahim Abdu Wakawa, stated that the hospital is currently experiencing challenges which include power shortage as a result of cost of diesel, scarcity of water supply, training of staff and skills development, shortage of hospital beds, inadequate ambulances among others.
He further explained that these challenges are negatively affecting the hospital in providing effective services to the patients.
“We need to have an ultra-modern CT scan machine and other equipment that will help us in diagnosing patients,” he added.
The NEDC boss has also received the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Yobe State University, Adam Mustapha Goniri, who led a delegation, including the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mala Daura, and the Registrar, Alkali Gazali, on a courtesy visit.
Goniri, who presented an appreciation letter to the NEDC boss in recognition of the commission’s contributions toward the development of the university, stated that the university is facing challenges which include inadequate student hostels, vehicles, electricity scarcity among others.
Responding, the NEDC’s MD noted that the commission would carefully review their requests and consider priority areas for intervention.
“We recognize that universities play a central role in education development, and we are eager to partner with all universities in the region”.
. TheWitness
