Kaduna Hospital Launches Telepsychiatry for Remote Care

The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, has initiated a telepsychiatry service to facilitate remote psychiatric consultations for patients, thereby eliminating the need for long-distance travel for mental healthcare. The Medical Director, Prof. Aishatu Armaya’u, announced this development during a media engagement on Wednesday, detailing that the service aims to alleviate financial and geographical barriers faced by patients from Nigeria and neighboring countries.

The telepsychiatry platform is designed to involve a coordinated team of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and health information managers, allowing patients to schedule appointments, provide consent, make payments, and receive consultations from home. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to decentralize mental healthcare and integrate psychiatric services into primary healthcare facilities across Kaduna State.

Armaya’u emphasized that the system would enable the hospital to focus on new patients and those needing specialized care, while also improving service planning by anticipating patient needs.