The Deputy Secretary, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Peter Ogunnubi, has urged the Federal Government to influence the passage of the Mental Health Bill.

 

Ogunnubi made this call at a press briefing organised by the association as part of activities leading to its General Meeting/Scientific conference in Lagos.

 

He said the absence of the bill has exposed mentally challenged persons to several acts of victimisation and discrimination in the society.

 

He said, “Government has not paid attention to issues concerning mental health, even though statistics show that 20 per cent of the Nigerian population is living with one form of mental challenge or the other.

 

“If the bill becomes a law, the rights of patients will be protected,”

 

The Lagos NMA Chairman,Dr. Tope Ojo, also called on President Muhammed Buhari to ban political office holders and other government officials from seeking medical treatment abroad.

 

Chairman of the NMA, Dr. Tope Ojo, Ojo urged Buhari to issue directives to the heads of various government agencies to ensure that the policy takes effect immediately.

 

 

According to him, public office holders still use public funds to pay for medical treatment in India, the United Kingdom and the United States for ailments that can be handled effectively in local health facilities.

 

Ojo said there was a provision for the ban in the National Health Act and that failure to do so could amount to a violation of the Act.

 

He stated, “The ban on overseas medical treatment should be implemented immediately if the president is committed to eradicating corruption. Why should government pay for a treatment that could be handled in any Nigerian hospital?

 

“ The Federal Government must insist that Nigerians access health care locally, to help generate funds to equip hospitals and also recover the billions of naira that Nigerian patients have paid to develop other countries’ health care system.”

 

BY BUKOLA ADEBAYO

THE PUNCH