Delta State to establish neuropsychiatric facility and public health laboratory by 2027

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, stated that these projects address significant gaps in the state's healthcare system. A needs assessment conducted after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori took office in 2023 revealed the absence of such facilities. Currently, residents requiring psychiatric care often travel to Port Harcourt and Benin.

The new neuropsychiatric facility aims to provide specialized mental healthcare within the state, reducing travel burdens. The public health laboratory will enhance the state's capacity to analyze disease samples, including for Lassa fever, which previously required sending samples to laboratories in Irrua, Abuja, and Lagos. This often caused delays in results and government response to outbreaks.

The laboratory will be equipped with modern diagnostic equipment, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction machines, and is being developed to meet the standards of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Onojaeme recently inspected the laboratory and expressed confidence in its timely completion, highlighting these projects as major investments to improve access to specialized medical services and strengthen the state's ability to respond to disease outbreaks.