By Maryanne Awuya
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, has advocated that ensuring safe access to mental healthcare in Nigeria starts with strong and transparent regulation of psychotropic medicines.
This, she argued, is vital for building public trust.
During Vanguard’s 3rd Mental Health Summit, held in Lagos on Friday, October 17, Adeyeye highlighted the need for a careful balance: providing mental healthcare while maintaining a strict regulatory environment for controlled substances to curb misuse.
The DG firmly asserted that mental health is a basic human right and stressed that no Nigerian should ever be shamed or denied access to care.
Despite the availability of effective medication, she noted that stigma remains a major barrier, discouraging many people from seeking the essential medical help they need.
“People run away from drugs for mental illness because of stigma. There are drugs for depression, anxiety and others along the line.”
Adeyeye cautioned that the consequence of poor regulation is increased drug abuse and misuse, whereas robust regulation not only ensures public safety but also builds trust in mental health services.
She stressed that realizing national objectives for drug control and mental health advocacy is only possible by fostering collaboration among all sectors.
To tackle these challenges head-on, the NAFDAC Director-General pointed to the agency’s proactive engagement with young people, noting that this initiative aims to deliver early education and awareness about mental health and drug abuse.
“NAFDAC has a programme called Catch Them Young. Beyond going to different places like this, we go to schools across the states of the country to train children.
“That way, every child becomes an ambassador to talk about drug abuse, talk about stigmatisation, and work with faith-based organisations to create a
stigma-free environment for mental health awareness,” she explained.
She added that reducing stigma around mental health and encouraging young people to speak up and seek help are essential to building a healthier, more resilient society.
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to protecting lives through transparent, science-based regulation and collaboration with partners across the public and private sectors to ensure safe access to psychotropic medicines for all Nigerians.
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