A Consultant Paediatric-Neurologist at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife, Dr Oluwasola Oke has sought the inclusion of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into the National Healthcare Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Oke described ADHD as one of the commonest neurodevelopmental disorders, characterised by inattention among children. “This inattention includes having short attention span, difficulty keeping on task or staying organised, hyperactivity, restlessness, or talking excessively,” he said.
He told newsmen in Ilorin that the cost of managing the condition is astronomical. He lamented that a sachet of 10 tablets now costs N50,000 and is inaccessible to ordinary Nigerians.
According to him, apart from the high cost of management, “the drug is also scarce and can only be found in Lagos or outside the country.”
Oke advised the government to subsidise the drugs for the citizens through the NHIS, adding that “Nigeria carries the burden of ADHD in children at about 4.6 to 8.7 per cent and Africa is at 5.4 to 8.7 per cent, while globally it is at 5 to 10 per cent.”
The expert, who also teaches at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, pointed out that many people still misunderstand ADHD and assume the affected children are mentally unstable, stubborn or difficult.
“ADHD behaviours frequently occur across multiple situations such as school, home and at work,” he said.
The neurologist pointed out that people should desist from labelling children with ADHD as stubborn, spoilt, difficult or abnormal.
The expert further said some people erroneously believe the children lack home training or are spiritually attacked, adding that the condition is not a curse or spiritual punishment.
Oke warns that “beating such a child or taking them for endless deliverance will not cast it out. Instead of blaming spirits, the affected child needs to see a specialist”.
Similarly, he added that children with ADHD need the right learning method, a supportive environment and patience, while saying that some of them can be intelligent and excel in music, art or mathematics.
The paediatric neurologist appealed to the government and caregivers to address challenges in procuring drugs and the management of children with ADHD.
He also warned against stigmatising the children and enjoined people to bring their ward to specialists, who can manage the condition through behavioural therapy and the use of drugs.
