The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, made the declaration that “Mental health is a basic human right” while advocating for an end to the pervasive stigma surrounding mental illness in Nigeria.
Key Points of the Statement
- Mental Health as a Human Right: Prof. Adeyeye emphasized that every Nigerian is entitled to the highest standard of mental well-being and should not be denied access to care or subjected to shame for seeking help.
- Tackling Stigma: She highlighted stigma as the major barrier to accessing mental health care, noting that many people avoid seeking help for conditions like depression and anxiety despite the availability of effective drugs.
- Role of Regulation: The NAFDAC boss called for the strong and transparent regulation of psychotropic medicines (controlled substances). This is considered vital because while regulation prevents drug abuse and misuse, it simultaneously builds public trust and ensures safe access to legitimate mental health treatments.
- NAFDAC’s Advocacy: She mentioned NAFDAC’s initiative, the “Catch Them Young” program, which goes into schools and communities to train children and work with faith-based organizations to raise awareness and foster a stigma-free environment against drug abuse and mental illness.
The statement was made at the 3rd Mental Health Summit in Lagos, underscoring the need for collaborative, cross-sectoral efforts to achieve national goals around drug control and mental health advocacy.
