A severe shortage of medicines has hit the Tanka Tanka Psychiatric Hospital and disrupted services. 

The manager of the Mental Health Program at the Ministry of Health, Bakary Sonko revealed there is a shortage of essential drugs and some of their patients are relapsing. 

In a WhatsApp message sent to his colleagues in the public health sector, Mr Sonko wrote: "Please, there is an urgent need of antipsychotics such as fluphenazine decanoate (modecate) 25m injectable, trifluoperazine tabs 5mg, olanzapine tabs and haloperidol tabs in the country." 

He added: "Our patients at the Tanka Tanka Unit and those in the community needs help. There is a shortage and our patients are relapsing." 

Mr Sonko appealed for urgent support to help Gambians struggling with mental health issues.