The Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, Dr Fawwaz Babandi, has called for more substantial investment in mental health and psychosocial support for victims of disasters and emergencies across Nigeria.
Speaking at the 2025 World Mental Health Day event organised by Plan International Nigeria and the Bauchi State Ministry of Health, Dr Babandi said this year’s theme, “Access to Services, Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies,” calls for the urgent need to prioritise psychological care in crises.
He noted that Nigeria and the world are witnessing more conflicts, displacements, and natural disasters, all of which have heightened mental health challenges. “Despite the rising burden, mental health responses remain inadequate in most emergency interventions,” he stated.
Babandi urged government agencies and humanitarian groups to integrate mental health into emergency systems, describing psychosocial support as essential, not optional.
He commended Plan International and the Bauchi Health Ministry for spotlighting the issue through the awareness campaign.
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