Shrink confirms Ward 16 problems
Close to 500 patients are treated at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital's Ward 16 on a weekly basis.
The head of the psychiatric unit at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital, Dr Famuyiwa Peter, says the facility faces many challenges.
Peter was responding to an article in Namibian Sun following reports of archaic psychotropic medicines being administered to patients at Ward 16, as the unit is affectionately known, at the Oshakati hospital.
Peter said the unit has two psychiatrists who are attending to 130 inpatients and 400 outpatients on a weekly basis, adding the unit does not have sufficient drugs.
This follows after confirmation was received from the health ministry that no attending psychologist is appointed at the ward.
According to Peter, he joined the unit in December 2015 after he was trained in Nigeria, his country of birth.
“The duty of a psychiatrist is to diagnose mental disorders and treat these accordingly in conjunction with a social worker, psychologist and occupational therapist,” he said.
“Psychologists don't diagnose mental disorders but rather, offer psychological treatment such cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling, brief psychodynamic therapy and psychoanalysis.”
However, patients who have been treated at Ward 16, disagree.
A young man, 31, told Namibian Sun the Oshakati psychiatric unit has destroyed his life.
He said after he completed his matric, in 2005 his family rejected his choice of study.
They refused to fund his studies and everything fell apart after that.
“My sister took me to the hospital. She told nurses that I was crazy, while I was normal. I became very aggressive and they injected me. When I woke up they had started medicating me already. When you go to the head of the unit he does not listen to what you are saying. He listens only to people who brought you to the hospital,” the man said.
He continued that in 2007 he was declared mentally unfit. “That is the most painful thing in my life ever. I am declared mentally unfit and I currently receive a social grant for this. I cannot proceed with my education or get a job anymore. It is a record that follows me everywhere.”
Peter acknowledges that the unit is faced with many challenges such as proper infrastructure, lack of office space, personnel, to current psychotropic medicines.
Largactil is one of the first of these types of drugs ever offered on that market and was launched in 1954.
“These are beyond the purview of mental health professionals currently working in the department, but we are doing our best and there is always room for improvement.”
The hospital is accused of administering Largactil injections to patients which is said to have long-term effects which can become permanent.
According to a Windhoek psychiatrist, Dr Reinhardt Sieberhagen, “If you have a patient that presents psychotic symptoms due to severe stress, you can give him a prescription for Valium and after a few days the patient will be fine. However, if you begin Largactil treatment, there is no way a psychiatrist will be able to distinguish between symptoms of stress and something as severe as schizophrenia. In other words, you commit a patient to a diagnosis and a drug for the rest of his life.”
Responding to questions on the value of having a local psychiatrist that understands local customs and culture, Peter could not say whether he was acquainted as such. It is known to be beneficial to have a psychiatrist treating patients that come from backgrounds that the doctor understands and is aware of.
The health minister Dr Bernhard Haufiku did not respond to inquiries made last week.
ILENI NANDJATO
Peter was responding to an article in Namibian Sun following reports of archaic psychotropic medicines being administered to patients at Ward 16, as the unit is affectionately known, at the Oshakati hospital.
Peter said the unit has two psychiatrists who are attending to 130 inpatients and 400 outpatients on a weekly basis, adding the unit does not have sufficient drugs.
This follows after confirmation was received from the health ministry that no attending psychologist is appointed at the ward.
According to Peter, he joined the unit in December 2015 after he was trained in Nigeria, his country of birth.
“The duty of a psychiatrist is to diagnose mental disorders and treat these accordingly in conjunction with a social worker, psychologist and occupational therapist,” he said.
“Psychologists don't diagnose mental disorders but rather, offer psychological treatment such cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling, brief psychodynamic therapy and psychoanalysis.”
However, patients who have been treated at Ward 16, disagree.
A young man, 31, told Namibian Sun the Oshakati psychiatric unit has destroyed his life.
He said after he completed his matric, in 2005 his family rejected his choice of study.
They refused to fund his studies and everything fell apart after that.
“My sister took me to the hospital. She told nurses that I was crazy, while I was normal. I became very aggressive and they injected me. When I woke up they had started medicating me already. When you go to the head of the unit he does not listen to what you are saying. He listens only to people who brought you to the hospital,” the man said.
He continued that in 2007 he was declared mentally unfit. “That is the most painful thing in my life ever. I am declared mentally unfit and I currently receive a social grant for this. I cannot proceed with my education or get a job anymore. It is a record that follows me everywhere.”
Peter acknowledges that the unit is faced with many challenges such as proper infrastructure, lack of office space, personnel, to current psychotropic medicines.
Largactil is one of the first of these types of drugs ever offered on that market and was launched in 1954.
“These are beyond the purview of mental health professionals currently working in the department, but we are doing our best and there is always room for improvement.”
The hospital is accused of administering Largactil injections to patients which is said to have long-term effects which can become permanent.
According to a Windhoek psychiatrist, Dr Reinhardt Sieberhagen, “If you have a patient that presents psychotic symptoms due to severe stress, you can give him a prescription for Valium and after a few days the patient will be fine. However, if you begin Largactil treatment, there is no way a psychiatrist will be able to distinguish between symptoms of stress and something as severe as schizophrenia. In other words, you commit a patient to a diagnosis and a drug for the rest of his life.”
Responding to questions on the value of having a local psychiatrist that understands local customs and culture, Peter could not say whether he was acquainted as such. It is known to be beneficial to have a psychiatrist treating patients that come from backgrounds that the doctor understands and is aware of.
The health minister Dr Bernhard Haufiku did not respond to inquiries made last week.
ILENI NANDJATO
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