Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has commissioned 16 key infrastructure projects at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kware in Sokoto State, as part of a nationwide effort to upgrade tertiary health institutions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. This was contained in a statement signed by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations.
During the commissioning ceremony on Wednesday, 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.
“This commissioning is a clear demonstration of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to making federal health institutions more effective, accessible, and people-centred,” Dr. Salako said. “The projects here in Kware are part of over 500 infrastructure upgrades completed across the country in just two years.”
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.
The minister praised the hospital’s leadership, especially the outgoing Medical Director, Professor Sheu Sale, for prudent use of government resources and transforming the hospital into a model of quality psychiatric care.
He also revealed that over 50 similar projects have been commissioned across four geopolitical zones, highlighting the administration’s ongoing investment in health infrastructure, workforce development, and digital transformation. According to Dr. Salako, more than 15,000 health workers have been employed within the past year, and digitisation initiatives are underway to improve transparency, efficiency, and quality of care.
On mental health reform, Dr. Salako reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to implementing the National Mental Health Act, 2023. This includes integrating mental healthcare into primary health services, decriminalising suicide, and tackling stigma.
The government, he said, is also addressing energy challenges in the health sector through renewable solutions and will soon host a National Dialogue on Power in Healthcare. Additionally, 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. He 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 also celebrated Professor Sheu Sale’s eight years of leadership at the hospital, marking a period of substantial growth and modernization.
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