Kaduna Begins Mental Health Law Implementation, Targets 23 LGAs

The Kaduna State Government has commenced the implementation of its mental health law, with plans to expand access to mental healthcare services across the state’s 23 local government areas.

The initiative involves integrating mental healthcare into primary and secondary health services, training health workers and strengthening specialist care to improve access to treatment and protect the rights of people living with mental health conditions.

Governor Uba Sani disclosed this on Friday at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, during the commemoration of World Mental Health Week.

Uba Sani, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Umma Ahmed said 100 doctors, nurses and pharmacists from 10 general hospitals had been trained and certified under the World Health Organisation’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP).

He said the state was expanding mental health services to 30 general hospitals and primary healthcare facilities across the 23 LGAs, while strengthening specialist care at the tertiary level.

According to him, the Kaduna State Mental Health Law, signed in September 2025, replaced the colonial-era Lunacy Act with a legal framework that promotes a more humane, rights-based approach to mental healthcare.

“Kaduna State is the only state in the Federation that has gone beyond passing its mental health law to operationalising it,” he said.

The hospital’s Medical Director, Dr Aishatu Yusha’u Armiya’u, said the institution had supported the integration of mental healthcare into primary healthcare through training and capacity building for health workers.

She said the hospital had also established a telepsychiatry unit to connect patients in their communities with mental health specialists without requiring them to travel to Kaduna.

According to her, the service would enable specialists to support patients and healthcare workers at primary healthcare facilities, particularly in communities far from the state capital.

Armiya’u also said the hospital introduced a smart digital patient card in 2026 to give patients easier access to their biodata, medical histories, treatment records and appointments.

The medical director urged residents to support people experiencing psychological distress, avoid stigmatising them and encourage those who need help to seek professional care.

The hospital’s registrar, Dr Bilkisu Dasuki, said healthcare professionals were also vulnerable to mental health challenges but might hesitate to seek help because of stigma and concerns about how colleagues would perceive them.

The event marked World Mental Health Week under the theme: “Lived Experiences: Real Voices, Real Change,” which highlights the importance of listening to people living with mental health conditions and promoting dignity, inclusion and recovery.