By GINNAH MINI-UPNG Journalism student
LALOKI Psychiatric Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Daoni Esorom says the hospital is facing too many challenges that need to be addressed immediately.
In a press conference on Thursday, Dr Esorom says in order for the patients to receive effective treatments, improved legislation and infrastructure need to be in place.
He said the hospital has been going through a lot of challenges since the Mental Act 2015 was passed.
Dr Esorom said the Mental Act 2015 which was certified on the 9th of February, 2016, is not aligned with the National Health Administration Act 1997, Public Hospital Administration Act 1994, and PHA Act 2007, making it a challenge that needs to be addressed promptly.
“Although we appreciate the fact that some of the challenges here at Laloki predate before the Act was enacted, the enactment of the law is creating a lot of problems,” he said.
Some of the challenges faced by the hospital include: no operational funds for the last 6 months, the hospital having K2600 in the account currently, the need for updated infrastructure clinical service improvement, and other significant challenges.
Dr. Esorom emphasised that the Mental Act 2015 enabled the establishment of social change and the mental health directorate, and Laloki has been overlooked in terms of funding and maintenance of the infrastructure.
“We’ve had a lot of challenges here trying to provide clinical care for patients under very old and crumbling buildings with leaking roofs. Some of our buildings have been declared unfit,” said Dr. Esorom.
He said mental health issues create lots of problems in societies, so proper law and infrastructure need to be in place to cater these issues.
According to Dr Esorom, Laloki Psychiatric Hospital was designated as a Level 6 facility; however, since the enactment of the law, surveys done have revealed that it is a Level 3 health facility, which is at health centre level.
To bring Laloki back to Level 6, Dr. Esorom and his team are working on to repeal the Mental Act 2015 and upgrade new infrastructure if the government provides funds, as the patients need a better environment to recover.
