The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has commissioned 16 key infrastructure projects at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kware in Sokoto State. The projects are part of a nationwide effort to upgrade tertiary health institutions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the projects as a major leap forward in strengthening mental health care and general service delivery in Nigeria’s northern region.
The newly inaugurated facilities include a Molecular Laboratory, an Intensive Care Unit, a Regional Women and Children Drug Dependency Treatment Centre, an Accident and Emergency Centre, a Multipurpose Students’ Hostel, a School of Post Basic Nursing (Psychiatry), and a solar-powered alternative energy system, among others. Dr. Salako praised the hospital’s leadership, particularly the outgoing Medical Director, Professor Sheu Sale, for prudent use of government resources and transforming the hospital into a model of quality psychiatric care.
The Minister highlighted the administration’s commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, and digital transformation. He revealed that over 50 similar projects have been commissioned across four geopolitical zones and that more than 15,000 health workers have been employed within the past year. Additionally, digitisation initiatives are underway to improve transparency, efficiency, and quality of care. Dr. Salako also reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to implementing the National Mental Health Act, 2023, which includes integrating mental healthcare into primary health services and decriminalising suicide.
The government is also addressing energy challenges in the health sector through renewable solutions and will soon host a National Dialogue on Power in Healthcare. Furthermore, the forthcoming Renewed Hope Health Connect aims to provide free medical, surgical, ophthalmological, and audiology services to one million vulnerable Nigerians. Dr. Salako thanked the Sokoto State Government and traditional institutions, particularly the Sultan of Sokoto, for their continued support and collaboration in health development.
The commissioning ceremony also marked the celebration of Professor Sheu Sale’s eight years of leadership at the hospital, a period of substantial growth and modernization. Dr. Salako called on healthcare workers across Nigeria to align with the Renewed Hope vision and help transform the country’s health sector into a continental hub for excellence. The event underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure and services, particularly in the area of mental health.