FCTA Steps Up Action on Food Safety, Mental Health, and Climate Preparedness
By: Prudence Okonna
To improve health and environmental care at the grassroots level, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has concluded plans to domesticate four national health policies in the areas of food safety, mental health and climate change resilience.
The FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES) and other stakeholders adopted the policies during an official policy adoption meeting held at the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, Area 11, on Wednesday, 4th June, 2025.
The adoption of these national policies is in response to the key resolutions reached at the 65th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Health (NCH), after the approval for the adoption and rollout of several significant policy frameworks.
These policies include Revised National Policy on Food Safety and Quality (2023), the first National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response, the contextualised Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP 3.0), and the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Health National Adaptation Plan (H-NAP).
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, HSES, Dr Babagana Adam, said it was important for the FCT to domesticate the policies and extend the benefits from the city centre to the communities.
Dr Adam says that following the adoption of the policies, the FCTA will take robust measures to address growing public health threats associated with the rise of unregulated food vendors and eateries across the city and surrounding rural areas.
He explained that by implementing these policies, the FCTA would provide technical support to communities across the Area Councils and coordinate surveillance efforts to curb foodborne diseases.
“Food safety is not just a matter of hygiene but of national security and public trust,” He added.
While speaking on the implementation process of the policies, the Director Public Health Department, Dr Dan Gadzama, explained that by adopting these four critical national health policies, healthcare delivery, food safety, and climate resilience will be enhanced in the territory.
According to the Director, the first policy focuses on integrating mental health services into community and primary healthcare systems, a significant shift from previous practices where such services were limited to secondary and tertiary health facilities.
“This expansion is designed to improve access for underserved and rural populations”. He explained.
Dr. Gadzama said that the second policy introduces a more robust and standardized national food handlers testing protocol. He added that it mandates fewer but more targeted medical tests, specifically, stool microscopy and Hepatitis A screening, while also making vaccination compulsory for all food handlers to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases.
On the third policy, he explained that its implementation would address the growing concern of food poisoning, particularly amid the rise of private food vendors across the FCT, as it emphasises the need for active surveillance to detect and respond swiftly to any outbreaks linked to contaminated food.
Harping on the fourth policy, he said the FCT’s adaptation of the national climate change policy focuses on implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, with specific provisions expected to be reflected in the 2025 FCT budget.
“These policies are not entirely new but have been revised and tailored to current realities,” the Director noted, highlighting the strategic shift towards preventive healthcare and the environment.
Abuja digest reports that the FCTA’s approach aligns with global efforts, including the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (2021–2030) and the Global Action Plans on epilepsy, dementia, and alcohol use.
According to the policy document, climate change could result in a 21% increase in disease burden, with higher incidences of diarrhoea, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Also, mental health conditions are expected to rise sharply due to the psychological stress linked to climate change.
