Uba Sani champions mental health rights, replaces outdated lunacy law in Kaduna

Governor Uba Sani has positioned mental health as a fundamental human right in Kaduna State, following the enactment of the Kaduna State Mental Health Law on September 18, 2025 — replacing the colonial-era Lunacy Act of 1958.

The new law safeguards the rights of persons with mental health conditions, protects them from discrimination, and guarantees access to quality and dignified care.

Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, highlighted these milestones while delivering a keynote address at a public lecture marking the 2025 World Mental Health Day on Friday. The event was organised by the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna.

According to her, Governor Uba Sani has “transformed the former Bureau for Substance Abuse into the Kaduna State Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (KADSAMHSA),” which now coordinates mental, neurological, and substance use disorder services in an integrated and humane framework.

“This is not only an administrative reform; it is a moral statement,” Dr. Balarabe said.

She revealed that Kaduna State has trained and graduated the first batch of 100 clinicians, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists from 10 general hospitals, under the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP).

“With this policy shift, care has moved from isolation to integration, from centralization to community, and from exclusion to inclusion,” she explained.

Dr. Balarabe also recalled the creation of a Technical Working Group on Perinatal Mental Health in 2024, which integrated mental health screening into maternal and child health services.

“By reaching women who might otherwise have suffered in silence, this initiative is saving lives, restoring families, and giving voice to those who once felt invisible,” she said.

The Deputy Governor commended the synergy between KADSAMHSA, the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, the Ministry of Health, and the State Primary Health Care Board, describing it as a “model for effective collaboration, where policy, professionalism, and compassion align.”

She further announced plans to extend mental health services to all 30 general hospitals and every ward-level primary health centre across the state, including 23 designated Centres of Excellence.

“We are also working with KADCHMA to ensure mental health care is covered and affordable under the State Contributory Health Scheme,” she added.

Dr. Balarabe urged all levels of government, development partners, civil society, faith leaders, and the private sector to lend their support and resources to the mental health cause.

She praised Dr. Aisha Yushau Armiyau, Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, for her outstanding leadership and commitment to excellence.

“She leads with skill, vision, and compassion—an inspiring role model for women professionals and a shining example in our healthcare system,” Balarabe said.

She also lauded Dr. Joe Ike, Director General of KADSAMHSA, for his purposeful leadership and for working with a team “driven by service, compassion, and professionalism.”