By Dennis Agbo

The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu has said that it will establish Psychiatric hospital outposts in each of the 15 Senatorial districts in the southeast.

The Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof Monday Igwe, made the disclosure on Wednesday while assuming office for a second term in the hospital.

He stated that nine out of the 15 outposts have already been completed while the remaining six will soon be completed for the people of the zone to have closer access to Psychiatric treatment.

“You will recall that this hospital is the only psychiatric facility in the South-East. It is meant to train nurses and doctors in psychiatry. It is the only facility that offers research in terms of mental health in the South-East.

“It is also our mandate to give clinical services to people that have mental illnesses.

“The people of South-South, North-Central, they also access our services; that means if we don’t do well, we are living Nigerians to suffer. So, we will do our best to make this place a world centre of excellence in mental health services.

“We have completed nine and we are still building the other ones. Those completed are going to be activated by posting our staff, because they are already equipped.

“The essence is that people need to access mental health services very close to their homes where it will be difficult to bring them to this place,” Igwe stated.

Igwe who received a rousing welcome from staff of the hospital thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for finding him worthy of another tenure in office.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, four days ago, gave me a new mandate to serve this hospital for a final term of four years as Medical Director.

“It is a pleasure and I count it a very big honour to be reappointed based on the recommendation of the board and management who recommended me based on our performance,” Igwe said.

He equally thanked the minister of state for health, Barr. Joseph Ekumankama, who he said “upheld the recommendation of board and management and moved the letter to the President who accented.”

Igwe recalled the turbulence in the federal hospital years ago, expressing joy that it was now a thing of the past.

On the journey ahead, the MD said, “I am assuring that we are going to achieve more than we did in the first tenure.

“We are going to prioritize staff welfare, unite every member and treat every member equally. Nobody will be denied any right,” Igwe pledged.