By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar
To mark World Mental Health Day, Dr. Yakub Fauwaz Farouq, Senior Registrar in Psychiatry at Abubakar Tabawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi, called on Nigerians to stop using derogatory labels like “mad” when referring to persons living with mental health conditions.
Speaking at an event organized by PLAN International and the Bauchi State Government with funding from Global Affairs Canada, he stressed that mental illnesses—such as depression and anxiety—are common, treatable medical disorders that require empathy, financial support, and timely medical care rather than societal discrimination.
Dr. Farouq warned that untreated conditions can escalate into severe issues like psychosis. While depression and anxiety can spontaneously remit with proper support, neglecting patients exacerbates their suffering.
He emphasized that building a supportive environment begins with shifting public perception and ensuring patients are brought in for professional psychiatric care rather than abandoned to social stigma.
Highlighting systemic solutions, Dr. Farouq called for the full implementation of the National Mental Health Policy 2023, which guarantees free or subsidized care at certain levels and protects patient rights.
Dr. Farouq, who also serves as CEO of Sa’a Specialist Clinic, noted that enforcing the law’s strict penalties—including fines and imprisonment for rights violators—is vital to safeguarding vulnerable individuals and improving psychiatric care across Nigeria.
