Plan International Nigeria has made a significant donation to the Bauchi State Government, providing psychotropic medications, family planning commodities, and drugs used to treat sexually transmitted infections. This donation is part of the activities marking the 2026 World Mental Health Day, celebrated annually on October 10. The commodities were handed over during an engagement organised by the Bauchi State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the State Primary Health Care Development Board, with support from Plan International Nigeria.
The Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Charles Usie, stated that the donation aimed to address shortages of essential medicines in health facilities and strengthen access to mental health and sexual and reproductive health services. The intervention was implemented through the ASPIRE project, which operates in Bauchi and Sokoto states with support from Global Affairs Canada. The project focuses on addressing challenges affecting adolescent girls and young women, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender inequality, and mental health and psychosocial well-being.
According to Usie, routine quality-of-care assessments and supportive supervision conducted with government agencies revealed gaps in the availability of selected family planning commodities, medicines for sexually transmitted infections, and psychotropic medications in supported health facilities. The shortages could affect continuity of care and prevent patients from accessing timely and appropriate treatment. In response, the ASPIRE project procured essential family planning commodities, STI medicines, and psychotropic medications for handover to the State Ministries of Health in Bauchi and Sokoto States.
The donation includes 600 pieces of Sayana Press injectable contraceptives, 1,400 doses of Progesta injectable contraceptives, 10,024 packs of Microgynon pills, and 2,531 condoms. Additionally, the donation comprises medicines used in the management of sexually transmitted infections, including doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, and azithromycin. The psychotropic medications include mood stabilisers and anti-epileptic drugs such as carbamazepine and sodium valproate; antidepressants, including fluoxetine, escitalopram, sertraline, and amitriptyline; and antipsychotic medicines such as risperidone, olanzapine, haloperidol, trifluoperazine, and chlorpromazine.
Usie stressed that the intervention was not merely a donation of medicines but an investment in stronger and more responsive healthcare systems. The commodities would be integrated into existing government storage, distribution, and monitoring structures, including relevant Drug Revolving Fund mechanisms, to promote sustainability beyond the lifespan of the project. He urged the state government to ensure effective inventory management, responsible distribution, stock monitoring, and utilisation reporting to guarantee that the commodities reached designated health facilities and the people who needed them.
The Permanent Secretary of the Bauchi State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dauda Yakubu, received the commodities on behalf of the ministry and appreciated Plan International Nigeria for the support. He pledged that the items would be put to proper use and urged residents to treat people living with mental health conditions with dignity and avoid stigmatising them. Yakubu emphasised the importance of creating an environment where people experiencing mental health challenges could seek help without fear of discrimination.
The 2026 World Mental Health Day commemoration highlights the need for sustained investment in mental healthcare, improved access to treatment, and stronger health systems that can respond to the needs of vulnerable populations. The donation by Plan International Nigeria is a step towards addressing the mental health needs of the people of Bauchi State and promoting access to essential health services.
Key points
- Plan International Nigeria donates psychotropic medications, family planning commodities, and drugs to treat sexually transmitted infections to the Bauchi State Government.
- The donation aims to address shortages of essential medicines in health facilities and strengthen access to mental health and sexual and reproductive health services.
- The intervention is part of the ASPIRE project, which operates in Bauchi and Sokoto states with support from Global Affairs Canada.
