SEMA registers 790 mentally retarded persons in Kano

The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Sale Jili, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Kano.

Jili disclosed that mentally retarded persons were evacuated from streets by the Agency while others were referred to the centres by members of their families.

He said that the Agency also run a centre to take care of the needs of the persons with disability evacuated from streets and other strategic places in the states.

The Secretary listed the centres to include: Bichi; Danbatta, Minjibir, Gaya, Wudil, Sumaila, Rano, Tudun Wada, Karaye, Gwale, Dawakin Kudu and Kano Municipal.

Jili said the centres were designed to provide psychological support, clinical services, vocational and skill acquisition training to the clients.

He added that the disabled clients were exposed to shoe making and tailoring, to enable them learn trades and become to be self reliant.

“The centres are like hospital, it is the responsibility of the government to provide them with basic needs of life.

“When we observe that they are mentally stable, we discharge and integrate them into the society.”

“Our problem is whenever we discharge a mental patient, their relations do not to bring them back for follow up which affect their mental health,” he said.

Jili commended a philanthropist, Hajiya Mariya Dantata, for providing daily meals to the clients of the centres.

The Secretary called on development organisations and wealthy individuals in the society, to emulate the gesture and support the towards enhancing its operations and improving the well being of the clients.