ECOWAS Supports Sokoto, Lagos Hospitals With Equipment, Others

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has supported Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Kware in Sokoto State and Yaba in Lagos State with infrastructural renovation, patients’ rehabilitation and equipment.

The medical director of FNPH, Kware, Prof Shehu Sale, who disclosed this to LEADERSHIP said, the effort was part of the ECOWAS Commission’s pilot support intervention for selected substance use treatment facilities in the member states.

According to him, the gesture was aimed at promoting a public health approach toward addressing substance use disorders by providing equipment and services that would enhance treatment and recovery of people with substance use disorders.

Sale, a master trainer for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) explained that the selected facilities have duly undertaken pre-qualification assessments before they were selected.

”Before qualifying for the intervention, each facility had conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of the recreational facilities, rehabilitative services and vocational equipment for treatment of substance use disorders.

“ECOWAS commission undertook procurement processes and awarded contracts that included renovation of Drug Addiction Treatment, Education and Research, DATER, ward building, and construction of a lobby for recreational activities.

”In the procurements, ECOWAS commission installed Alternative Power Supply, APS, provided empowerment training tools that included Industrial Sewing Machines, Hair Dressing Salon and Barbing equipment as well as Gymnastics items for recreational activities.

”Other items supplied in the DATER ward under the support programme included two sets of table tennis special aluminum American outdoor tennis board, two sets of snooker boards, three sets of Monopoly, three sets ludo, three sets of chess board, three sets of scrabble, indoor games.

”The rest of the equipment supplied include 2.5HP Fitness Treadmill with body massager and eight Ergometer Stationary Magnetic Exercise Bike.”

He said substance use disorder is a pattern of substance use that causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, relationship problems and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.