Salako: We've commenced implementation of Nigerian National Mental Health Act, 2023

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… inaugurates 16 projects at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Sokoto

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Kunle Salako, has said that the ministry has commenced the implementation of the Nigerian National Mental Health Act, 2023 with the creation of a mental health desk in the ministry.

Salako, who added that the ministry was also working towards the creation of a full department, equally disclosed that the ministry is integrating mental healthcare into primary health care services and working to decriminalise suicide, eliminate stigmatization and regulate involuntary seclusion.

The Minister stated this during the official inauguration of 16 infrastructural projects at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto State.

Salako explained that his ministry strategically decided to showcase a few key infrastructural upgrades and modernization being implemented in our Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across the country by unveiling the projects at the mental hospital to commemorate the two years anniversary of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led in the country,

While stating that four geopolitical zones have been covered with over 50 key projects cutting across direct clinical services, administration, works, power supply, training, security and other ancillary services commissioned, the Minister said that the Federal Government in two years, has completed or provided more than 500 key infrastructural projects and advanced modern equipment to various Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across the country.

He, however, commended the management of the neuropsychiatric hospital for making judicious use of allocated government resources to provide 16 projects including a Molecular Laboratory, Intensive Care Unit, Regional Women and Children Drug Dependency Treatment Centre, Accident and Emergency Centre, Multipurpose Students Hostel, School of Post Basic Nursing (Psychiatry), alternative power supply and so on.

According to him, the projects will positively impact care and results in better outcomes for patients who visit the hospital, commending the Medical Director, Professor Sheu Sale and his team for the wonderful achievement, administrative acumen, hard work and commitment.

“We recognise that physical infrastructure alone cannot provide healthcare, and have therefore also instituted a robust employment mechanism leading to the employment of over 15,000 health workers in about a year. We are also providing continuous professional development training for our health workers and through the Nigeria Digital in Health Initiative increasing the digitization of service provision to increase efficiency, transparency, quality of care and stewardship.

“To address the challenge of power in our health institutions, government is implementing an alternative power mechanism to take advantage of renewable sources of energy like solar and later this year, we are convening a National Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector to better framework the deployment of alternative power and drive more investment to power our health sector. The government has approved a Social Action Fund to empower 109 communities across the country to implement community owned health promoting projects as a strategy to address some of the social determinants of health. We are also in the process of implementing The Renewed Hope Health Connect, an interventional fully funded healthcare services targeting 1 million vulnerable Nigerians with medical, surgical, ophthalmological and audiology care.

“In the larger health transformation agenda of this administration, mental health is being given its deserved attention. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has already started the implementation of the Nigerian National Mental Health Act, 2023 with the creation of a mental health desk in the ministry and is working towards the creation of a full department. We are integrating mental healthcare into primary health care services and also working to decriminalise suicide, eliminate stigmatization and regulate involuntary seclusion”, Salako said.

The Minister remarked further that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu-led administration is committed to transforming the healthcare system in the country to be efficient, effective, accessible, affordable, people-centred, qualitative and timely.

“I am happy to report that the President is providing the needed policy, funding and enabling environment to the health sector in order to achieve the ultimate vision of Nigeria becoming a continental hub for healthcare services with our health care index being among the top 50 in the world within a decade. I call on all our healthcare professionals in the private and public sectors to key into this vision and contribute their quota in safeguarding the health of Nigerians”, he stated.

While commending the governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto for providing the enabling environment and supporting the hospital to thrive, the Minister reiterated that the Federal Neuropsychiatry Hospital, Kware -Sokoto is strategic to the agenda of government to improve the mental and general health status of Nigerians.

“Let me therefore assure the management, staff and all stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will continue to provide all necessary support for the hospital to continue to serve Nigerians especially people of Sokoto State. I wish to appeal to all staff and all users of services in this hospital to see the newly commissioned facilities and the old ones as theirs and ensure that it is used with care and adequately maintained for long lasting optimal performance”, he submitted.