Kaduna:The Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Kaduna has launched a telepsychiatry service designed to provide patients with remote access to mental healthcare from their homes.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the service, named ‘Connect-Consult-Care,’ is the first of its kind in Nigeria and aims to improve access to psychiatric care while minimizing travel-related costs and inconvenience for patients.
Speaking at the inauguration, Prof. Aishatu Arimaya’u, the hospital’s Medical Director, highlighted that this initiative would significantly benefit patients who previously had to travel long distances for routine follow-up treatments. She noted that patients and their families often incurred substantial expenses on transportation, accommodation, and meals when visiting the hospital.
The new service allows patients to continue their treatment from their respective locations, enabling the hospital to focus more on new patients and those requiring specialized interventions. Arimaya’u emphasized the support from the Kaduna State Government for mental healthcare and mentioned that the hospital has trained personnel across 23 centers to enhance mental health services in the state. This arrangement also allows the hospital more time to train health workers, conduct research, and develop better practices in mental healthcare.
The telepsychiatry platform enables collaboration among doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, health-information personnel, and administrators to coordinate patient care. Patients can access consultations and other clinical processes remotely, and the platform helps the hospital anticipate the number of patients and the services they need before visits.
Dr. Mohammed Gidado, Head of the Telepsychiatry Unit, explained that the service was developed after observing the financial and logistical challenges faced by patients traveling for treatment. He recounted a case where a patient and a companion from Sanga had to spend the night in Kaduna due to an incomplete consultation.
The service is available to patients with internet access and a valid Electronic Medical Record (EMR) number, focusing strictly on clinical services. Gidado assured that the platform is user-friendly, with instructional materials provided to guide patients. The hospital plans to continue improving the platform to ensure mental healthcare is accessible to all patients, regardless of their location.