Kaduna State integrates mental health into primary and secondary healthcare

Governor Uba Sani has announced that Kaduna State is the only sub-national entity in Nigeria to integrate mental health services into its primary and secondary healthcare systems. The announcement was made during the 2026 World Mental Health Day celebrations at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) in Barnawa.

As part of this initiative, a first cohort of 100 medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists from 10 general hospitals, has been certified under the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP). Mental health screening has also been incorporated into routine maternal and child health services.

The state plans to extend these services to all 30 general hospitals and primary healthcare facilities across all 23 Local Government Areas. Additionally, the FNPH has launched a Telepsychiatry Programme to provide remote care to patients in hard-to-reach rural communities, reducing travel costs and time.