President Edgar Lungu has called for the observance and respect of human rights of people living with mental illness. President Lungu says as the people living with mental illness are human beings like the able bodied, there is need for the general citizenry to embrace them too as they have equal rights like any other person.
President Lungu said it is for this reason that his administration remains resolute in ending any form of discrimination against mental patients in Zambia.
The Head of State said this yesterday when he was in the company of Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya toured Chainama Hills Mental Hospital.
Mr. Lungu explained that government will give prominence to the fight against the fight of diseases including mental health diseases in the country.
And 32 percent of the patients admitted at the facility are as a result of alcohol and other substance abuse, it has been learnt.
Revealing this during President Lungu’s tour ,Chainama Hills Mental Hospital Senior Medical Superintendent Margaret Chibowa said facility is grappling with a number of cases resulting from alcohol abuse mainly among the youths.
Dr. Chibowa said alcohol abuse cases has in the recent past become one of the major challenges facing her facility thereby needing urgent attention from government.
“Most of the patients we have here suffer from different disorders that are as a result of depression disorders, drugs and alcohol abuse, “ said Dr Chibowa.
The Senior Medical Superintendent underscored that the hospital built in 1962 has dilapidated infrastructure, but was quick to say that the Ministry of Health has embarked on the serious modernization process of the institute.
Senior Medical Superintendent Your Excellence the hospital which was built in 1962 has dilapidated infrastructure.
“We are however , happy to note that the Ministry of Health has come on our side to mordenise it and we are grateful that you came through to support us,” she said.
The President interacted with patients among them 81 year old Edson Ngoma who has been at the institute since 1968 and later donated assorted food stuffs.
The move by the head of state is to be appreciated. Mental health stigma should come to an end. Mental health is a common challenge for the community and it includes those are not admitted at chainama but are expressing excessive stress. So we need to move from institutionalising to community support type of remedy.
Most of those mental patients can do a better job of PF media director or running the PF copperbelt provincial offices at black mountain.
“32 percent of the patients admitted at the facility are as a result of alcohol and other substance abuse, it has been learnt”, well we know where someone known to abuse Jameson will end up, and this probably explains some ridiculous decisions we have heard in recent past like $1 million fire tenders.
Prince Harry worked on the President. He seems to be very good at listening to foreigners rather than his own people.
Oh sorry, I thought the President was checking himself into the facility, as one of his resolutions this year. When Syakalima said that Lungu was a hypocrite, I thought he said that Lungu was mad! Ignore this posting, it’s no longer relevant, we have come to a realisation that we got the facts wrong.
Why doesnt this lazy foool visit UTH which next to State House?
Zambian politicians of all parties and all shades exhibit signs of badly needed admission at Chainama mental hospital. Good that Lungu has gone to pave the way for them all.
I have reservations about taking pictures of these vulnerable citizens. Observance and respect of human rights of people living with mental illness should start with respecting their privacy as part of the hell process. Those images without their consent could worsen their conditions, management and the President’s advicers should have kept them out of the media.
What’s there to hide? Even in cases of HIV people now get the ARVs in the open. Every living being is a potential patient, be it mental,HIV or anything.
What do you understand about confidentiality and stigma?
@The Truth, what do you understand about confidentiality and stigma?
That is is where the main visitor should be admitted for days so that he understands why he attends foreign hospitals and he sends his relatives and friends abroad for treatment instead improving our local facilities .Zambia is a Kongola kaloba twibe republic .
Chainama hospital and Mukobeko prison are both highly recommended institutions for Zambian leaders.And after serving there build them a home in Chibolya to closely witness the poverty they’ve engineered.
Lungu, for the amount of alcohol he imbibes he is a potential patient at Chainama. His actions speak volumes about his state of mind. We should never have had him rule, the retrogression is astounding under his stewardship.
The lazy chap and his dull advisers missed an opportunity for a free evaluation from doctors at the institution.
MANY ARE EXPECTED TO BE THERE , SO BETTER IMPROVE THE FACILITY, SOON OR LATER WE SHALL BE VISITING THEM.
I am sure he already booked a bed for him self with this visit, the man is slowly losing it, that’s why all these bad decisions he has made, his bed will be next to the 81 year old