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Ghana Marks World Mental Health Day in Oti Region

This year's National World Mental Health Day was commemorated with community engagement and sensitisation activities in the Oti Region.

Date Created : 10/12/2023 : Story Author : Kingsley Mamore/Ghanadistricts.com

The day is set aside to raise public awareness on the silent impact of mental health on society and the need for major actors to advance policies and increase investment for care of affected people.

Dr. Pinaman Appau, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Mental Health Authority (MHA), delivering the keynote address, said in consultation with other stakeholders, the occasion was brought to Oti Region, where generally, the population had been known to be underserved in several capacities, including mental health facilities.

She stated that engaging with the communities in the region would allow them to better understand their mental health needs to provide the ultimate care.

She said challenges in the region included non-availability of mental health specialists such as psychiatrists and psychologists, erratic supply of psychotropic medications, lack of means of transport and the need for training and capacity building.

Dr. Appau assured the public that the Mental Health Authority was committed to working with all stakeholders, the WHO, Ghana Health Services, Christian Health Association of Ghana and others to strengthen community care in mental health as mandated by the Authority's Act.

She said they firmly believed that this would make mental health Service more accessible, comprehensive and dignified.

She said involving families and communities in care of individuals with mental illness would lead to improved treatment outcomes and easier reintegration into society.

Madam Uzoamaka Gilpin, the CEO of Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has called for the right to health, including mental health.

She again called on Ghanaians to help address challenges in the provision of mental healthcare by treating patients with dignity and respect.

Madam Gilpin said the ability of society to accommodate people with mental problems by offering them the needed support and recognition had been identified as one major step towards their recovery.

She said Ghana Health Service together with other stakeholders and partners, would continue to sensitize both health and non-health professionals in quality right programmes to build the capacity of understanding and promote the human rights and recovery of people who lived with the experience.

She again noted that the service continues to build the capacity of primary healthcare providers to identify and manage common mental, neurological and substance use disorders.

Professor Francis Kasolo, World Health Organisation, Country Representative, said the World Mental Health Day 2023, was an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind theme: "Mental Health is a Universal Human Right" to improve knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone's mental health as a human right.

He said this includes the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable and good quality care.

He emphasised that a mental health condition should never be a reason to deprive a person of their human rights from discussion about their own health.

He mentioned that WHO through funding support from FCDO and in collaboration with the Mental Health Authority, CHAG and Civil Society Organisation have implemented the quality rights initiative from 2019 with the aim to improve access to good quality mental health services and promote the rights of persons with mental health conditions, psychological and intellectual disabilities in Ghana.

He said from the initiative the capacity of over 30,000 health and non-health workers as well as the public has been built on rights-based approaches to mental health service delivery.

Mr. Joshua Gmayeenam Makubu, the Oti Regional Minister, expressed his appreciation to the national planning committee and organisers for the honour by choosing Oti Region to host the national celebration of the World Mental Health Day.

He said the theme for this year's celebration could not have been more appropriate at a time where mental health persons had been stereotyped in our communities.

The Regional Minister said the underlying objective was to promote the human rights of particularly persons with mental health conditions and those with psychosocial disabilities, which should be devoid of discrimination, harmful stereotyping and stigmatization.

He revealed that he had an engagement with the Director General of the Ghana Health Service and the Country Representative of WHO, about the peculiar nature of the region and Oti region should be viewed from a different lens in the allocation of scarce resources.

He expressed satisfaction that the promise by the WHO to provide a few boats for the regional directorate to help serve the island communities would be fulfilled.

“We particularly acknowledge the work of all mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychoanalysts, psychiatric nurses, social workers and professional counselors.”

Mr. Makubu was grateful to WHO, KOFITH, UNICEF, UNSAID, GLOBACOM for their continuous support of health delivery services in the region.

HEALTH

Ghana Marks World Mental Health Day in Oti Region

Date Created : 10/12/2023 : Story Author : Kingsley Mamore/Ghanadistricts.com

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