The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to quality and affordable mental healthcare, with plans to identify underserved communities and strengthen services across the state’s 33 local government areas.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, stated this on Tuesday, October 13, during the 2026 World Mental Health Day commemoration held at Adeoyo Hospital, Ring Road, Ibadan.
Ajetunmobi said the government was taking steps to decentralise mental healthcare delivery and ensure residents could access appropriate treatment without travelling long distances to major health facilities.
She identified the recent commencement of psychiatric clinic services at the General Hospital, Saki, as a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to bring specialised mental healthcare closer to residents, particularly those in underserved communities.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” the commissioner stressed the importance of involving people who have experienced mental health conditions in developing policies, programmes and services designed to support them.
She said the state government would work with the Hospitals Management Board, the Primary Health Care Board and other stakeholders to assess the availability of mental health services across the 33 local government areas, identify gaps and develop phased interventions.
According to her, the government will also strengthen primary healthcare by training health workers to identify common mental health conditions, provide appropriate initial care and make timely referrals to specialists.
Ajetunmobi urged healthcare professionals to uphold confidentiality, human rights and patient-centred care, while encouraging families, caregivers, religious leaders, schools, employers and the media to promote accurate information and discourage stigma and discrimination against people living with mental health conditions.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Akintunde Ayinde, said it was time to change the narrative surrounding mental health by ensuring that people living with mental health challenges were given the opportunity to share their experiences.
Ayinde said the ministry, in collaboration with partners and relevant stakeholders, would continue to improve the management and care of people living with mental health conditions.
He added that the prevailing economic challenges in the country could further aggravate mental health concerns, making improved access to support and treatment increasingly important.
In his remarks, Prof. V.O. Lasebikan of New World Specialist Hospital said the facility remained committed to supporting the development of mental health services at Ring Road State Hospital.
He disclosed that the hospital provides free services to staff of the psychiatric unit who require assistance and also administers electroconvulsive therapy to patients referred by the unit at no cost.
Similarly, the representative of ASIDO Foundation, Mr. Oyetunji Ayoola, called for the integration of mental health services into all aspects of healthcare, including maternal and child health services as well as infectious disease management.
The commemoration was jointly organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Health, ASIDO Foundation, New World Specialist Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre, Slum and Rural Health Initiative, Stop Mental Health Illness Foundation and other partners.
The event brought together healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, academics and mental health advocates to discuss ways of strengthening mental health systems and improving access to care across the state.
