Kano State Marks World Mental Health Day with Renewed Commitment

The Kano State Commissioner of health Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusif has placed a sharp focus on the urgent need to address mental health, particularly in the context of humanitarian emergencies, as the world commemorates World Mental Health Day 2025.

Highlighting the state’s integrated approach to healthcare under the theme “Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies.”at the press briefing on Friday at the Emergency Operation Centre Nasarawa Hospital kanoDr.

Yusuf began by reaffirming the government’s commitment to dismantling the stigma surrounding mental health.

“Mental health is a vital component of overall health and wellbeing, yet it has long been neglected or stigmatized in our society,” he stated.“

Today, as always, we reaffirm our commitment to promoting mental health awareness, prevention, treatment, and care for indeed, there is no health without mental health!”“Recognizing the critical need, we have been conducting ongoing awareness and anti-stigma campaigns on mental health in schools, workplaces,communities, and religious institutions,”

He also noted the training of healthcare workers on mental health and psychosocial support, ensuring a more robust and compassionate response system for those in need.

The briefing, which also covered World Sight Day and the National Childhood TB Testing Week, served to showcase the successful reduction of the blinding eye disease, Trachoma, to very low levels.However during the celebration the commissioner of health distributed over 90,000 pairs of spectacles and reading glasses.

Dr. Yusuf credited these achievements to the exemplary leadership and political will of His Excellency, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, whose administration has prioritized free essential health services.

These include free maternal and child health care, free accident and emergency services, and free treatment for diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, and TB.

The Commissioner extended gratitude to traditional and religious leaders, including the Emir of Kano Muhammad Sunusi 2 , for their continuous support in public health advocacy.

He also acknowledged the invaluable contributions of development partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and UNICEF