By CHRISTIANA LOT, Jos
Plateau State Government has adopted the National Mental Health Act 2023 and officially decriminalized suicide, in what officials describe as a bold step toward improving access to mental healthcare and ending the punishment of mental illness.
The resolution was one of the major outcomes of the 11th State Council on Health held in Jos from August 19 to 21. The Council, which serves as the state’s highest health policy-making body, brought together stakeholders from the Federal Ministry of Health, state and local health institutions, development partners, academia, and the private sector.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, said the domestication of the Act would integrate mental health into the state’s primary healthcare system, enabling residents to receive care rather than face criminal charges for conditions linked to mental illness.
“The Council ratified the domestication of the Mental Health Act of 2023 in Plateau State and therefore decriminalized suicide into primary healthcare
“What this means is that suicide attempts will no longer be treated as criminal offences, but as urgent health conditions that require empathy and professional care.” Ba’amlong said.
The Commissioner also announced the establishment of the Plateau State Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment, and Mental Health Services (PLASAPTAM), which will serve as the institutional vehicle for implementing mental health reforms and coordinating responses to substance abuse challenges across the state.
According to him, the government is determined to eliminate stigma, promote early treatment, and strengthen the capacity of healthcare providers to respond to issues like depression, trauma, and drug addiction.
“Mental health and drug abuse are no longer issues we can afford to ignore. This agency will help ensure people get help, not punishment, and that families don’t suffer in silence,” he stated.
Stakeholders at the Council also approved several other resolutions aimed at repositioning the health system for broader impact. Among them is the upgrade of the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre laboratory, a state-wide audit and standardisation of medical laboratories, and the phased rollout of a digital health data programme to improve evidence-based decision-making.
The Council further endorsed a sanitation policy to strengthen the enforcement of open defecation bans and approved new measures requiring private health facilities to submit monthly health data to the State Ministry of Health, with penalties for non-compliance.
In addition, support was given for local pharmaceutical manufacturing in Plateau State, while the E-MOTIVE bundle was adopted as the standard protocol for managing postpartum hemorrhage in both public and private health facilities.
Dr. Ba’amlong explained that the official communiqué of the Council had been finalised and would guide implementation over the coming months. He urged the public and the media to remain actively engaged, stressing that the success of the reforms would depend on collective commitment.
“The real work begins now — in implementing the resolutions we have agreed upon. I encourage the press and public to engage with the communiqué and support its implementation at all levels,” he said.
