The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has said that strong and transparent regulation of psychotropic medicines is vital for building public trust and ensuring safe access to mental health care in Nigeria.
Speaking at Vanguard’s 3rd Mental Health Summit held on Friday at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Prof. Adeyeye emphasised that mental health care must go hand in hand with strict oversight of controlled substances to prevent abuse and guarantee the availability of safe, effective medicines.
“Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stress of life.
NAFDAC’s mission goes beyond regulation; it’s about protecting lives,” she said.
Prof. Adeyeye stressed that mental health is a basic human right that every Nigerian is entitled to, noting that no one should be denied access to care or made to feel ashamed for seeking help.
“Mental health is a basic human right — every Nigerian is entitled to it,” she stated.
She noted that stigma remains a major barrier to mental health care access, discouraging many from seeking medical help despite the availability of effective drugs.
“People run away from drugs for mental illness because of stigma. There are drugs for depression, anxiety and others along the line,” she said.
She warned that poor regulation can lead to drug abuse and misuse, while strong regulation ensures public safety and builds trust in mental health care.
“Poor regulations can lead to drug abuse and misuse. Strong regulation ensures safety,” she said, stressing that collaboration across all sectors is essential in achieving national goals around drug control and mental health advocacy.
“Collaboration is key across sectors. We all work together to fulfil the mandate of the nation to stop drug abuse,” she added.
Highlighting NAFDAC’s proactive initiatives, Prof. Adeyeye said the agency is engaging young people through its Catch Them Young programme — an effort aimed at promoting early education and awareness about drug abuse and mental health.
“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.
Prof. 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.
Comments