Delta State Government has commenced moves to establish the state’s first neuropsychiatric facility and a state-of-the-art public health laboratory, with both projects expected to be completed by March 2027.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, disclosed this in an interview with journalists, saying the projects were part of the government’s efforts to address identified gaps in the state’s healthcare system and strengthen access to specialised medical services.
Onojaeme said the projects followed a comprehensive needs assessment conducted by the state government shortly after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori assumed office in 2023.
According to him, the assessment identified the absence of a dedicated neuropsychiatric facility and specialised public health laboratory as critical gaps requiring urgent intervention.
He explained that residents requiring psychiatric care had, over the years, been compelled to travel outside the state, particularly to Port Harcourt and Benin, for specialised treatment.
The commissioner said the situation had become increasingly worrisome against the backdrop of rising drug abuse and the growing burden of mental health challenges in the society.
He said the government was, therefore, establishing the neuropsychiatric facility to provide specialised mental healthcare closer to residents and reduce the hardship and cost associated with seeking treatment outside the state.
Onojaeme also disclosed that work was ongoing on a public health laboratory designed to strengthen the state’s capacity to conduct specialised tests and respond more effectively to infectious disease outbreaks.
He recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic and other disease outbreaks, samples collected in Delta were often transported to specialised laboratories in Irrua, Abuja and Lagos for analysis, a situation which sometimes resulted in delays in obtaining test results.
The commissioner warned that such delays could have serious implications during disease outbreaks, stressing that the new facility would enable the state to conduct specialised investigations locally.
“With a Lassa fever outbreak, we no longer need to send our samples to other states to analyse and bring back. That will be done in Delta State,” he said.
According to him, the laboratory would be equipped with modern diagnostic technology, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines, to facilitate testing for infectious diseases.
He added that the facility was being developed in line with the standards of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), with a view to ensuring that its test results and analyses meet acceptable standards.
Onojaeme said he recently inspected the laboratory to assess the progress of work, expressing confidence that the facility would be completed by March 2027.
The commissioner said the two projects represented significant investments in the state’s health infrastructure and would enhance the government’s capacity to provide specialised healthcare and respond promptly to public health emergencies.
