According reports, sixteen months after the Mental Health Bill was signed into law,, the Federal Government still hasn’t created a Department of Mental Health Services under the Federal Ministry of Health.
The Mental Health Bill 2021, which superseded the antiquated Lunacy Act of 1958, was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari on January 5, 2023.
The National Mental Health Act 2021 calls for the creation of a Department of Mental Health Services within the Federal Ministry of Health to propose national health policies and ease their approval and implementation.
It also supports advanced mental health, provides healthcare services, ensures humane care and rehabilitation in the most permissive setting, and promotes culturally appropriate, economical, and accessible mental health care.
Experts claim that without the department, Nigeria would still be functioning under the Lunacy Act, as the goal of the Mental Health Act 2021 can only be reached through efficient execution.
Confirming the results, Prof. Taiwo Obindo, President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, stated that the FMoH was supposed to establish the department, but nothing had been done.
Obindo further stated that the government has failed to establish the National Mental Health Fund.
What they’re saying
“The National Review Committee is intended to assist people seeking to build mental health facilities.
“They are intended to accredit and re-accredit them; they are intended to guarantee that previously established facilities meet the basic requirements before being allowed to operate.
“Requirements exist for each facility that will be created. So, if the department does not exist, we will continue to have all of these charlatans occupying the area, offering mental health services, and then infringing on the rights of people with mental illnesses.
He claimed that without the creation of the department and the distribution of finances for mental health, the rights of people with mental illnesses will continue to be violated.
“It’s like we’re still enforcing the Lunacy Act. The Mental Health Services Department is intended to be an autonomous department with its own budget line, rather than a unit or program under another department.
“Some countries even have a Ministry of Mental Health; these are countries that recognize the value and effect of mental health in the lives of all citizens. “We need the government to act,” he stated.
“I’m hoping the department will be ready this year so that the country can put the legislation into effect and begin to reap the advantages.
Why does this matter?
The Federal Ministry of Health is making every effort to establish the department; they already have a unit for the mental health program, which is a prerequisite to the establishment of the mental health department.
Additionally, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, a consultant psychiatrist and Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, stated that the department’s creation will aid in the act’s implementation.
Final Thought
It’s encouraging to hear the Ministry of Health is working towards establishing the department. Hopefully, this happens swiftly to avoid further delays.
A functional department with a designated budget seems essential for the Act to be effective.
