The Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Barnawa, Kaduna, said it had created a toxicology ward to address mental health issues in the state.

Its medical director, Aishatu Yusha’u-Armiya’u, disclosed this to journalists on Sunday in Kaduna.

She said the ward allowed the separation of psychiatric patients diagnosed with various forms of psychiatric conditions from those with substance use disorder.

The medical director said, ”This permits the design of a clear plan for the management and rehabilitation of people with substance use disorder.”

A toxicology unit identifies, quantifies and determines the amount of drugs, alcohol, and poison in biological samples such as blood, urine or tissue.

Mrs Yusha’u-Armiya’u added that drug information and pharmacovigilance units were also created in the pharmacy department.

“These units are responsible for the provision of drugs related information and creating awareness on the presence of dangerous and substandard pharmaceuticals to both staff and patients within the institution.

“The pharmacy department has been provided with a functional and equipped compounding unit which is responsible for the production of all the relevant consumables needed in the hospital.

“In my first year in the office, I ensured that all the consumables needed in the hospital were produced by the pharmacy department,” she said.

(NAN)