Support mental health

Do more to support mental health

I  wish to call on the Government to fast track  the implementation  of the Mental Law to ensure that the right structures were in place for effective and efficient mental health delivery in the country.

Reports that Ghana’s mental health service delivery falls short of 97 per cent treatment gap is worrying. According to Dr. Akwasi Osei, the Chief Psychiatrist, 97 out of a100 mental patients, who require health care, do not get it.

It is unfortunate that mental health services in Ghana is mostly limited to three specialized psychiatric hospitals in Accra and Kumasi serving a small proportion of the population and with relatively less funding.

Another worrying situation is the challenge of staffing at these hospitals. It is appalling that there are only 12 practicing psychiatrists and 12, 700 psychiatric nurses serving over the 25 million people of this country.

I agree with Dr. Osei, when he called for the restructuring and overhauling of the mental health care system and implementation of mental health law to improve the situation.

I appealed to relatives of persons with mental illness to support them seek professional assistance, instead of sending them to spiritualist and prayer camps for solutions where they are molested, chained and beaten.