A Rare Gem: Prof Aishatu Yusha’u Breaks The Glass Ceiling

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By; NICHOLAS DEKERA

History was made on the  18th August 2022, as President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of Professor Aishatu Yusha’u Armiya’u (MBBS, Cert. LMIH/FIS, PGDE, MSc, MBA, PhD, FMCPsych, FWACP, IFAPA, MNIM) as Medical Director, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital Barnawa, Kaduna, making her the first woman in Northern Nigeria to become Medical Director of a Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital.

Dr. Aishatu Yusha’u Armiya’u rising from a Northern background where women are not too privileged to learning, however, went against the tides as she  earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. 

She is a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (FMCPsych), and the West African College of Physician (FWACP). 

She has a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Investigation (MSc. FP&CI) with MERIT from the University of Liverpool. 

Armiya’u has an optimistic personality, determined to break the “glass ceilings” in all ramifications, an ambition that led her to study harder in Leadership and Management.

She holds a certificate in Leadership and Management in health and Fundamentals of implementation Science from the University of Washington. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from University of Ilorin, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Psychiatry (PhD) from the Universidad Central De Nicaragua. 

She also holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration with specialization in Healthcare and Hospital management. She has attended and facilitated several seminars, workshops and training programmes across other fields of mental health, both locally and Internationally.

Dr.  Armiya’u is an Associate Professor of psychiatry and before her appointment as Medical Director Federal Neuro Psychiatrist Hospital Barnawa Kaduna, she worked as Chief Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University/Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi State Nigeria and the team lead at the Jos Custodial Center, Correctional Service facility. 

Aishatu is the first female Fellow and Consultant Psychiatrist from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and the West African College of Physicians from North West Nigeria.

She has contributed to a number of committees, including the Constitutional Review committee of the Association of Psychiatrist in Nigeria, Review on a Bill for the control of the sale of alcohol and drugs in Plateau state. She is an International Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (IFAPA), a member of several professional bodies, which include,  the World Health Organization Global Clinical Practice Network, Association of Psychiatrist in Nigeria, Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria, Norman Sartorius Workshop, Nigeria Medical Association, Mental Health First Aid Australia, National Institute of Management (Chartered) among others.

In recognition of her outstanding leadership and organizational skills in the field of Mental Health, she was selected (the only one from Northern Nigeria) for a course on the development of Leadership and Professional Skills for Young Psychiatrist in the year 2011 by Norman Sartorius Workshop, a World Health Organization affiliated programme. 

She has a certificate of Leadership and Professional Skills for Young Psychiatrist. Dr Armiyau has been a very passionate advocate for mental health awareness and combating stigma against mental illness. 

In this regard, she has been a staunch member of the Asido Foundation for mental health advocacy  and regional coordinator for the North Central Region. She is involved in several community activities which include trauma healing for several communities in Plateau State, free treatment for victims of flood, provides free mental health care and drug/alcohol screening for various communities. 

She has received several awards and certificate such, award by the Nigerian Military for facilitating a workshop on capacity building on mental health in the military, certificate of service by the Association of Resident Doctors in Plateau State and the Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria Plateau State, Commendation letter by the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) of Nigeria among others. 

She is an erudite scholar per excellence, with over 80 published papers in peer reviewed journals (locally and Internationally).

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