President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the harmonised Mental Health Bill into law.
The Bill, which was harmonised by the Senate and House of Representatives in 2021, will replace the Lunacy act of 1958.
The signing was confirmed by Prof. Taiwo Obindo, President of the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria, who hailed it as a major improvement for the provision of mental health services and clinical practice in the country.
Vanguard quoted him as saying, “A final culmination to over two decades of several efforts by the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria now has an Act/Law on Mental Health governance and we are now part of the global space with best global practice.”
A former president of the APN, Prof Taiwo Shielk also appreciated God for the signage of the Mental Health Bill has been signed into law by the President.
Thanking key players in the process, Shielk said, “Our profound gratitude to Senator Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Senator Ahmad Abubakar, Dr. Ibrahim Gambari, CBM International, Johnson & Johnson, and all our partners. After several attempts, by His Grace, we finally reached the milestone.”
With the new law, the Lunacy Act of 1958 which practitioners condemn as outdated and inhumane, will cease to be effective.
The establishment of a Department of Mental Health Services in the Federal Ministry of Health and a Mental Health Fund are some of the provisions of the National Mental Health Bill.