NGO appeals for support to house mentally ill

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bahass Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation caring for mentally ill people, Eliasu Yussif Baba, has appealed for support to put up a structure to house mentally ill people roaming the streets of Wa.

Aside from providing a permanent place to house the mentally ill, the facility, he said, would also serve as a safe haven for people with mental health issues.

Bahass Foundation, which has been providing care for mentally ill people in Wa, is currently putting up a permanent place around the Magazine area in Wa to house them.

Mental Health Day

Mr Yussif made the appeal during the opening of a temporary residential facility for mentally ill people in Wa.

The occasion was to commemorate this year’s Mental Health Day which is celebrated on October 10 every year.

He said the facility currently housed 22 inmates made up of six females and 16 males.

He said the facility was in need of mattresses, food items and medications to cater for the needs of the inmates.

He said it has become very necessary to provide this shelter for the mentally ill due to challenges some of them faced particularly this year when a number of them were allegedly killed for rituals.

He said some of the mad people in the municipality were victims of the serial killings that bedevilled the municipality recently.

According to him, such a permanent shelter would provide a safe place for them and also keep them from roaming the streets.

Mr Yussif expressed his appreciation to the Wa Municipal Assembly for the support in securing the temporary place of residence for the inmates.

Prior to the inauguration of the temporary facility, the foundation went on a walk through the principal streets of Wa to create awareness of mental health and also educate the residents to take steps to seek medical attention.

The walk was also to educate the residents to treat people with mental health issues with care and not to abandon them.