Kaduna Integrates Mental Healthcare Into Primary, Secondary Health Systems — Uba Sani

Kaduna Integrates Mental Healthcare Into Primary, Secondary Health Systems — Uba Sani

By Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria — Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has announced that the state has integrated mental healthcare into its primary and secondary health systems, describing the initiative as a major step towards expanding access to mental health services across the state.

The Governor disclosed this during the 2026 World Mental Health Day celebration at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Barnawa, Kaduna, where he highlighted his administration’s efforts to make mental healthcare more accessible, affordable and responsive to the needs of residents.

Represented by the Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma K. Ahmad, Governor Sani said Kaduna State was the only subnational entity in Nigeria to have integrated mental health into both primary and secondary healthcare systems.

He disclosed that the state’s first cohort of 100 doctors, nurses and pharmacists drawn from 10 general hospitals had been certified under the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP).

According to him, mental health screening has also been incorporated into routine maternal and child health services, while the government is extending services to all 30 general hospitals and primary healthcare facilities across the state’s 23 local government areas.

He explained that the initiative was designed to establish a decentralised, evidence-based and human rights-focused model of care, supported by collaboration between the state government and federal health institutions.

Governor Sani commended the Medical Director of FNPH, Professor Aishatu Yusha’u Armiya’u, for her contributions to healthcare delivery in Kaduna State.

He noted that, under her leadership, the hospital’s Dialysis Centre had become the only facility in the state attending to septic patients who previously had limited alternatives for treatment.

The Governor also highlighted the hospital’s newly introduced Telepsychiatry Programme, which enables patients to access mental health services remotely.

He said the initiative would particularly benefit residents of hard-to-reach rural communities by reducing travel demands and treatment costs while allowing specialists to support health workers in primary and secondary healthcare facilities

In her remarks, Professor Armiya’u emphasised that mental health was a shared responsibility requiring understanding, compassion and collective action.

She urged members of the public to check on family members, friends and colleagues, listen to people who need support, seek professional assistance when necessary and treat others with kindness and understanding.

The Medical Director commended Governor Sani for his administration’s investment in the health sector, noting that the enactment of the Kaduna State Mental Health Law in September 2025 marked an important step towards protecting the rights and dignity of persons living with mental health conditions.

She further disclosed that FNPH had collaborated with the Kaduna State Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (KADSAMHSA) to train and certify multidisciplinary health workers drawn from primary healthcare centres across the state’s 23 local government areas under the WHO’s mhGAP programme.

Professor Armiya’u also announced the introduction of a Smart Digital Patient Card designed to give patients easier access to essential information, including personal details, medical history, treatment records and appointments.

The digital innovation, she explained, also supports electronic payments and forms part of the hospital’s transition towards a more efficient, increasingly paperless system.

The developments underscore the growing emphasis on integrating mental healthcare into routine health services, strengthening professional capacity and using technology to improve access to treatment.

As Kaduna State continues to expand its mental health programmes, sustained collaboration among government institutions, healthcare professionals, communities and families will remain essential to ensuring that people experiencing mental health challenges receive timely, affordable and dignified care.

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