There are 2.3 million mental health disorders in Ghana.

According to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.3 million Ghanaians suffer from different mental health issues.

Though 98% of those in the nation who suffer from mental illnesses do not have access to treatment, it remains a fundamental human right.

As part of the worldwide observance of this year’s World Mental Health Day, Michael Kwaku Yeboah, a component manager at the Ghana-European Centre for Jobs, Migration and Development (GEC), spoke yesterday in Accra at a public discussion on mental health.

According to him, mental health encompasses not just insanity but also a range of mild, moderate, and severe psychological diseases, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, fear, and bipolar disorder.

Mr. Yeboah emphasized that since everyone was susceptible to the conditions, it was necessary for all citizens to take up the cause of easily available, high-quality mental health services.

In order to help debunk the myths and misconceptions around mental health issues that lead to stigmatization and other forms of injustice against individuals, he argued that greater knowledge was necessary.

World Mental Health Day

Every October 10, the day is observed to promote mental health patients’ support and increase public awareness of the illness.

He claimed that GEC and the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) were in charge of organizing the meeting.

“The burden is alarming and shows why dialogues such as these are important.

It is important that stakeholders in the country deliberate on ways to improve access to not just care but quality care, systems, and facilities without discrimination and human rights violations.

“I wish to appeal to all stakeholders to work harder to dispel myths, reduce stigma, and eliminate discrimination related to mental health conditions,” he said.

“A person’s mental state should not influence how they are treated.

Their human rights should not be violated, nor should they be discriminated against in their quest to access care.

“We at GIZ Ghana are working to shape a future worth living in Ghana, which is why we provide mental health and psychosocial support to our clients at the Ghanaian-European Centre for Jobs, Migration, and Development,” he said.

The participants

Mr. Yeboah said that through counseling, psychotherapy sessions, temporary accommodation, and health care, GEC ensured successful reintegration for returned migrants, who suffer various mental disorders and conditions along the migration cycle.

“We also provide support for vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities, unemployed youth, and women,” he revealed.

Mr. Yeboah said since the center was opened in December 2017, it has provided psychosocial support for about 3,436 people, including 927 women.

He said it had also encouraged peer-to-peer counseling.

“Thus, we have built the capacity of 150 returned migrants and traditional and community leaders to enable them to counsel their peers and community members, respectively.

Infractions

According to Dr. Peggy Asiedu Ekremet, a specialist psychiatrist at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, people with mental health disorders are still subjected to human rights breaches, which have an impact on their social and physical well-being.

She listed the infractions as being beaten at prayer camps on the pretext of driving out a demon that was thought to be the source of a health issue, being shunned from community life, and facing stigma and discrimination.

According to Dr. Ekremet, the Mental Health Authority (MHA) is dedicated to guaranteeing that every Ghanaian has access to high-quality mental health services and is allocating funds to establish the necessary infrastructure in each region to prevent mental health problems.

She noted that in order to address people’s urgent mental health needs, the MHA was assembling a crisis management team comprised of mental health specialists from every region.

According to her, mental health problems were becoming more prevalent among teenagers and young people, as one in seven of them had mental health problems and one in five of those under the age of 19 had a diagnosable mental health illness.

She also mentioned that 50% of those who suffer from mental health issues first experienced them at the age of 14.

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