I was hanging out with some friends in a lounge when he walked up to me. As usual we exchanged pleasantries in a quite dearly way. Courtesy demands (or so I think) that I introduce him to my friends…”this is Shekau (not his real name) he’s a friend”, and then he snapped “don’t mind him o, I’m not his friend, I’m his patient”. I instantly went into some sort of spontaneous silence.
Truly, we met when I was in the medical school, and he was my patient in the Psychiatry Department. I actually took it further with him and we became rather personal friends ever since. Yes, I see him more as a friend.
It all started on a Saturday morning when he came knocking on my door in Alexander Brown Hall, UCH Ibadan. “Who is there?” I inquired. “Your fellow friend!” He answered.
This reply really got me interested and I curiously opened the door to see who this ‘fellow friend’ was. Alas, a young man stood there in a paramilitary uniform, looking quite dirty like he just came from a jungle operation.
Further chat with him convinced me that he was indeed mentally challenged. I cunningly took him to the Psychiatric ward amidst his suspicion of my ‘salvation’ moves. At last, I handed him over to the Doctor-on-call who immediately recognised him as an old patient who had absconded. The treatment was then to recommence.
He was later being managed on outpatient basis but frequents the hospital environment where I see him quite often and we had lengthy chats on most occasions.
I realised so many things about him during these chats, some interesting, some astonishing, and most times expository.
He is in his early thirties, the first child of his father, he used to be very brilliant, had very beautiful Secondary School certificate result, was employed into the paramilitary organisation through his father’s ‘connection’ and in fact has since been retained there despite his mental challenge basically because of his very strong connection.
Retaining him even without significant input at work was a means to support and help him out of his medical condition but nay, this was not to be. He spends his monthly salaries rather lavishly, spending on both the needy and the needless (the later most times). A friend who works in the bank where he transacts attested to the fact that he even goes as far as spraying the money on the floor as soon as he withdraws.
Interestingly, I get to run into this my friend almost each time I travel down to Ibadan. From the shopping mall, to the cinemas, to the lounges and clubs; I see him practically everywhere, roaming and wandering aimlessly.
On each of these occasions, it’s always easy to assess his financial status; he would ask for money when in need while offering to buy you anything when his purse is full.
I think about him very often, I wish I could help. In fact, he is one of the reasons I ever consider mental health as a choice of speciality. I just wish I could help him, I know he urgently needs help, he cannot afford to continue this way.
However, our institution isn’t such as could cater for him.
It’s a known fact that social medicine in Nigeria is next to zero. There’s little or no provision for these helpless vulnerable fellows. As a Doctor, you get to see the patients, diagnose appropriately and prescribe relevant drugs for possible cure. This however, I must say is not enough! A lot still needs to be done, by our social workers. We need to get them off the streets, prompt them to go for treatment, and support them after discharge. The role of effective follow-up system in mental health cannot be over-emphasised. A default in medication compliance results in relapse with its attendant complications taking the patients father from eventual cure.
We must also not forget that a good number of young people walk around peacefully with a wide range of mental illnesses. Early detection, prompt refferal and immediate treatment would go a long way in significantly pruning down this social menace.
Campaigns against drug abuse should be taken to every doorstep and taken with utmost seriousness required.
This indeed has been an established link to a various mental health challenge especially among the Nigerian youth.
I have a vision of a world of good health, where mental health is given significant priority and the youth are specifically focused for care.
So help us God!
