BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Auki
FIVE “severe mental disorder” or mentally ill cases have been reported at Kilu’ufi Mental Unit for the first quarter of the year.
Doctor in-charge of the mental unit, Dr Rex Maukera revealed this during an interview yesterday.
He said these five new cases add to the already exisiting 23 “relapse cases” (those already attended the hospital).
Maukera said there were minor cases also reported to the hospital, but the reported figures are only for those admitted at the hospital.
He said the in-and-out flow of patients continues and that is an evidence that ‘severe mentally disorder is an issue’.
“The capacity we have at Kilu’ufi especially on accommodation is 20 beds, 10 for males and the other 10 for females.
“And an average a patient can keep at Kilu’ufi under our care is two to three months before discharge.
“But as experienced only small number we kept on regular basis compare to number out in the community.
“That shows severe mentally disorder is an issues and need to deal with,” Maukera said.
He said the alarm now is severe mental disorder is not on a decrease or stable rate, but it’s on the rise.
Maukera said it’s a serious concern which not only implies Malaita province only but the whole of the country.
When asked on their findings of causes to mentally ill patients reported to Kilu’ufi hospital, he said it’s multi-factual where it’s hard to pin-point certain areas as the root cause.
Maukera said people got up with the illness because of stress, marijuana, flow of the disease within family history and many other areas.
