Deputy Health Minister Visits Kissy Mental Hospital
Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, Mohamed Daudis Koroma has made an on the spot visit to the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Hospital at Kissy. The purpose of the visit was to assess the welfare and conditions of the mentally ill patients and the Hospital administration.
Making his observations, the Deputy Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the entire conditions of the patients saying ‘very deplorable.’ The minister expressed serious disappointment at the hospital management over the small food ration given to patients. Talking about the hygiene situation, the Deputy Minister said it was below expectations and undermines being applauded by government.
Mr. Sawyer told the visiting Deputy Minister and team that mental nursing is between life and death and reiterated the need for more improved conditions of service for psychiatric nursing.
He appealed for regular water supply, improved sanitation and adequate food supply. In another development, a six-man World Health Organization (WHO)/ GLRA. Joint Team headed by WHO Focal Point for Drug Resistant TB Control in East and Southern Africa, Dr. Wilfred Nkhoma also paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister after a week long nationwide review of the activities of the National TB/Leprosy Control Programme, expressing the need for complete ownership of the patient’s care.
After touring all the wards, Hon. Mohamed D. Koroma noted to the hospital staff in-charge of male patients that they were not given the treatment they required such as regular bathing, and preventing them from smoking both marijuana and cigarettes.
The minister appealed to the hospital staff to pay more attention the patients’ beds and the daily cleaning of the wards.
To make proper checking in order to be au fait with all that is happening, Hon. Koroma visited the kitchen and urged the staff to be humanitarian conscious in carrying out their duties, adding that, they should be God fearing in completing their feeding menu to the patients.
He warned staff against alcohol drinking noting that the people they are dealing with need sober minded workers to take care of them.
Hon. Koroma also noted several constrains in the hospital including water shortage, inadequate nursing care, irregular electricity supply, poor sanitation and staffing problem.
He encouraged the Hospital Administration and the skeleton staff to redouble their efforts and assured them of his commitment to ensuring that the situation in the hospital improves.
A mental patient and former Teacher of the Government Model Secondary School, Mr. James Sawyer while in dialogue with the Deputy Minister, described a mental patient as a “Possible Killer†pointing out the risk taken by nurses.
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