Health
Open Letter To Health Minister, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate On Nigeria’s Mental Health Crisis, By Halima Layeni
According to Halima Layeni, less than 10% of mentally ill Nigerians have access to the care they need. This is not just a statistic; it is a damning indictment of our collective failure to prioritize mental health as a fundamental aspect of overall well-being.
Dear Honorable Minister for Health,
I pen this letter to you with a heavy heart, but also with a fervent hope for change. As the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, you shoulder the immense responsibility of safeguarding the well-being of every Nigerian. Yet, amidst the myriad challenges we face as a nation, one issue stands out as a glaring indictment of our collective failure: the state of mental health care in Nigeria.
In a country of over 200 million people, we have fewer than 150 psychiatrists. Let that sobering fact sink in. Less than 150 specialists are tasked with addressing the mental health needs of a population grappling with the stresses of modern life, compounded by poverty, conflict, and inequality.
According to the WHO, less than 10% of mentally ill Nigerians have access to the care they need. This is not just a statistic; it is a damning indictment of our collective failure to prioritize mental health as a fundamental aspect of overall well-being.
To put this into perspective, let us compare our situation to that of other nations: In the United States, there are approximately 28,000 psychiatrists serving a population of 330 million people. In the United Kingdom, there are 12,300 psychiatrists for a population of 68 million. The disparity is stark, and it is unacceptable.
Numbers alone do not tell the full story. We must also confront the systemic issues that have hampered our efforts to provide adequate mental health care.
First and foremost, we must address the chronic underfunding of mental health services. Year after year, mental health budgets languish at the bottom of the priority list, starved of the resources they need to function effectively. This must change. We cannot hope to build a healthy, prosperous society without investing in the mental well-being of our citizens.
Equally pressing is the issue of inadequate facilities and infrastructure. Too often, those in need of mental health care are forced to travel long distances to access overstretched hospitals and clinics, only to find that essential medications and treatments are in short supply. We must invest in the expansion and modernization of our mental health infrastructure, ensuring that care is accessible to all who need it.
But perhaps most damning of all is the failure to implement existing laws and policies designed to protect the rights of individuals with mental health conditions. Our National Mental Health Policy, enacted in 2013, lays out a comprehensive framework for promoting mental health and ensuring access to quality care. Yet, too often, these lofty aspirations remain unrealized.
We cannot ignore the issue of men’s mental health. Traditional gender norms dictate that men should be stoic and strong, leading many to suffer in silence rather than seek help for their mental health issues. We must work to dismantle these harmful stereotypes and create a culture where men feel comfortable seeking support when they need it most.
As Minister for Health and Social Welfare, you have the power to effect change. You have the opportunity to reshape our nation’s approach to mental health care, to tear down the barriers that have long stood in the way of progress. But you cannot do it alone.
I call upon you to marshal the resources of your ministry, to rally support from across the government and civil society, and to lead by example in the fight for mental health equity. Together, we can build a future where every Nigerian has access to the care and support they need to thrive—a future where mental health is not just an afterthought, but a fundamental pillar of our national identity.
The time for action is now. The stakes could not be higher. Let us rise to the challenge, and in doing so, create a brighter, healthier future for all Nigerians.
Halima Layeni
Founder & Executive Director
Life After Abuse Foundation
Health
Nairobi Hospital Beckoning Nigerians Seeking Treatment Abroad
The hospital also holds internationally recognised certifications in pathology, laboratory medicine, cardiac care and stroke services.
A report by Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH), has disclosed that Africa loses an estimated $7 billion every year as patients travel abroad for medical treatment, with more than 300,000 Africans travelling to India alone yearly in search of specialist care.
The hospital disclosed this at a media roundtable in Lagos, where it called for a stronger investment in Africa’s healthcare systems, while positioning its Nairobi facility as an alternative destination for Nigerians who currently seek treatment in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Chief Operating Officer of the hospital, Khurram Jamal, attributed the continued outflow of patients and healthcare spending to shortages of specialist services, inconsistent quality standards, fragmented medical travel pathways and the perception that quality healthcare was only available outside Africa.
According to him, reversing the trend requires building healthcare systems that inspire confidence rather than relying on appeals to patriotism.
He maintained that patients would only choose African hospitals if they consistently met international standards.
Jamal said Aga Khan University Hospital was the first in the region to attain Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation and has maintained the certification through successive reaccreditations.
He added that the hospital also holds internationally recognised certifications in pathology, laboratory medicine, cardiac care and stroke services.
Health
[UPDATES ] Nurse Mary Habila : Umahi clarifies possible cause of death
The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist,” Umahi said.
Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, on Thursday said that Miss Mary Habila, the nurse who died at a guest house within his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, spoke with her boyfriend on the night before her death and complained of a nosebleed.
Umahi, who addressed journalists for the first time since the incident, described the late Habila as “like a daughter” to him and called for an autopsy to determine the actual cause of her death.
Habila, a nurse with the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, died on June 27, 2026, in a guest house located within the minister’s residence in Umunaga, Uburu.
The minister clarified that the deceased was a nurse and not a physiotherapist, as had been reported in some media outlets.
” The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist,” Umahi said.
Narrating the events leading to her death, Umahi said Habila spoke with her boyfriend on the night before she was found dead and informed him that she was experiencing a nosebleed.
She told the boyfriend she was bleeding from the nose. The boyfriend advised her to report it to her boss. She later told him the bleeding had stopped.
“He then said he would end the call so she could rest. She pleaded with him not to end the conversation, but he did.
About three minutes later, he called back and she was no longer answering her phone,” the minister said.
He further disclosed that Habila had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical condition at Turkish Hospital in Abuja, with the medical expenses paid by his family.
Health
Sokoto upgrades 92 PHCs to national compliance standards
The upgraded facilities now operate in line with the standards of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with skilled birth attendants, functional labour wards, essential drugs, medical equipment and improved infrastructure.
The Sokoto State Government said on Thursday 92 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state’s 23 local government areas have attained national compliance standards under the Safe Delivery Initiative (SDI).
In a statement the government assured that all 244 designated facilities would be upgraded before the end of 2026.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Sokoto, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruk Umar Abubakar, said that the initiative was transforming primary healthcare through improved infrastructure, skilled manpower, essential medicines and stronger accountability.
“Today, we are launching the third phase of the Safe Delivery Initiative with 75 facilities that have fulfilled all the national requirements. Together with those completed in the earlier phases, we now have 92 functional and compliant primary healthcare centres,” he said.
He said the upgraded facilities now operate in line with the standards of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with skilled birth attendants, functional labour wards, essential drugs, medical equipment and improved infrastructure.
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