Kaduna has mainstreamed mental health into healthcare systems – Governor

Governor Uba Sani has disclosed that Kaduna state is the only sub national in Nigeria that has integrated mental health into the primary and secondary health systems.

The Governor made this known at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital(FNPH), Barnawa, Kaduna on Friday, during  the 2026 World Mental Health Day, themed  “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.’’

Represented by the Commissioner of Health, Hajiya Umma K Ahmad, the Governor further disclosed that Kaduna state’s ‘’ first cohort of 100  doctors, nurses and pharmacists,  from 10  of our General Hospitals, has been certified under the World Health Organization’s mhGAP programme.’’

According to Governor Uba Sani,  mental health screening is now part of the normal maternal and child health services in Kaduna state.

‘’We are extending services to all 30 General Hospitals and to primary health care facilities in all 23 Local Government Areas, while strengthening and expanding access at the tertiary level,’’ he added.

The Governor pointed out that the result of integrating mental health into primary and secondary health systems  is a model of care that is human rights-focused, evidence-based and decentralised.

Describing the model as a global standard, he said that it was built on partnership between a  Federal institution and a State Government working as one.

He commended  the Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital,   Professor Aishatu Yusha’u Armiya’u, who has ‘’gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to the people of Kaduna State.’’

He said that under her leadership, this hospital’s Dialysis Centre has become the only facility  in Kaduna State that attends to septic patients  who too often had nowhere else to go.

The Governor disclosed that the hospital recently launched the Telepsychiatry Programme, which allows patients to receive care wherever they may be.

‘’For families in the hard-to-reach rural communities of Kaduna State, that means fewer long journeys, lower costs and care that arrives in time. It also lets this hospital’s specialists to support health workers in our primary and secondary facilities, strengthening the very system we are building together,’’ he added.

In her speech, Prof Armiyau noted that although mental health conditions are generally not communicable diseases in the medical sense, she argued that some mental-health-related behaviors, emotions, or symptoms can spread socially.

‘’Let us also remember that mental health is not only an individual responsibility. It is a shared responsibility. During this Mental Health Week, I encourage each one of us to take practical steps.

‘’Check on a families, friends and colleagues. Listen to someone who needs to talk. Take care of yourself. Seek professional help when necessary. And, most importantly, treat others with kindness and understanding,’’ she said.

The Medical Director commended Governor Uba Sani for his administration’s huge investment in the health sector and other critical areas in Kaduna State.

‘’Under your leadership, Kaduna state has taken important steps towards strengthening the mental health system and promoting a more humane and rights-based approach to mental healthcare.

‘’ The enactment of the Kaduna State Mental Health Law in September 2025 represents an important institutional step towards protecting the rights and dignity of persons living with mental health conditions. I salute you for this!,’’ she added.

Prof Armiyau noted that FNPH has collaborated with the Kaduna State Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (KADSAMHSA), by  training and the certification of multidisciplinary health workers drawn from PHCs across all 23 Local Government Areas,  under the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP).