Substance abuse accounts for about half of the patients receiving treatment at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Barnawa, Kaduna State, highlighting the growing burden of substance use disorders in the state.
The Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Aishatu Yusha’u Armiya’u, said substance-related conditions remain a major concern among patients seeking psychiatric care.
The hospital has a dedicated Drug, Alcohol, Treatment, Education and Rehabilitation unit for people receiving treatment for substance use disorders. A 2024 study involving patients at the hospital also found that half of its 120 participants were undergoing treatment for substance use disorder.
Experts have identified substances including alcohol, cannabis, tobacco and pharmaceutical drugs among those commonly associated with substance use problems in Kaduna and other parts of Nigeria.
The increasing number of people presenting with substance-related psychiatric conditions has raised concerns about the need for stronger prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and community-based mental health services.
Research involving psychiatric outpatients in Kaduna has also found a significant presence of psychoactive substance use, with alcohol, cannabis and tobacco among the most commonly used substances.
Health authorities and mental health professionals have continued to call for greater public awareness, particularly among young people, while encouraging families to seek professional help when substance use begins to affect an individual’s behaviour, relationships, education, work or health.
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