Omar Bojang, the matron at Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital has said that illicit drugs are not the main cause of mental health sickness.

"I disagree with the saying that the uses of hard substances are the main cause for most mental illness in people. Illicit drugs only worsened mental illness," he said.

Mr. Bojang argued that lack of attention society and people give to one another also contribute to mental illness, but added that often time people blame it on hard substance.

"Mental illnesses starts early and in some stages it is when people start calling you names like a rude person. At this stage the illness forces you to use hard substances which escalate the sickness," he added.

He revealed that currently the hospital has 73 patients, 19 of whom are female and 54 male.

He encouraged communities to not only help mental illness patients to ensure their quick recovery but also accept and treat them equally to help in their treatment process.

"We do not keep them here for long because by doing so it hinders their treatment and creates other situations where some of them are exposed to smoking cigarettes. This is why we encourage home treatment," he explained.

He added that because some patients lack compassion and love from their homes and society, it hinders their complete recovery.

"Sometimes we receive a patient five to six times in a year," he said.

Mr. Bojang said the hospital faces challenges such as unavailability of detergents, food and sanitary materials among others.

He therefore appealed for support from all and sundry.