Kaduna governor says state has integrated mental health into primary and secondary care

Governor Uba Sani said Kaduna State has integrated mental health services into both primary and secondary health care, a move he described as unique among Nigeria’s subnational governments.

The governor made the statement on Friday at the Federal Neuro‑Psychiatric Hospital (FNPH) in Barnawa, Kaduna, during the 2026 World Mental Health Day event. The gathering used the World Mental Health Day theme referenced by organizers as “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real ...,” according to the governor’s remarks reported at the event.

Sani presented the integration as a statewide policy, saying Kaduna is the only subnational entity in Nigeria to have mainstreamed mental health into its primary and secondary health systems. Media reports of the event attribute that claim directly to the governor.

Why the announcement matters

If implemented across health facilities, integrating mental health into primary and secondary care can change how services are accessed and delivered, particularly for patients who seek care first at community or general health centres. The governor’s statement frames Kaduna’s approach as distinct within Nigeria’s subnational landscape, highlighting the state government’s positioning of mental health within routine health services.

Event setting and context

The announcement was made at a national psychiatric hospital in Kaduna during World Mental Health Day activities. Reporters covering the event noted the location and timing, and cited the governor’s remarks about the state’s asserted status as the only subnational government in Nigeria to mainstream mental health into primary and secondary health systems.

What the reports say — and what they do not

Multiple news accounts relay the governor’s claim but do not supply additional details in those reports about when integration began, which specific services or facilities are affected, or how implementation is being measured. The reports do not include independent confirmation from federal health authorities or comparisons with other states.

The governor’s statement, as reported, places Kaduna in a leading position on mental health integration at the subnational level; the available reporting attributes that position to his announcement at the FNPH Barnawa event on World Mental Health Day.