A mental health advocate, Jahara Osman, has emphasised the need to intensify mental health awareness to help in the early detection of disorders, particularly in children, to prevent their escalation in later life.
“We must also draw attention to caregivers of mental patients because they suffer a lot more stress in their day-to-day lives,” she added.
Ms Osman, who is the Founder of Premier Rehabilitation Centre, was speaking at an awareness forum in Accra.
The forum was aimed at raising awareness of mental health, and also discussing challenges faced by mental health officers and patients.
It was on the theme: “Beyond the stigma – Changing the mental health narrative in Ghana.”
Challenges
Ms Osman said many students, including undergraduates, struggled with mental health issues due to undiagnosed conditions in childhood.
She said that "unless you are actually speaking to a person or seeking help for the person, it is hard to identify the condition".
Ms Osman lamented the increasing cases of stigma against persons with mental health issues and called for a concerted effort to drive a national campaign to “destigmatise mental health issues and bring together stakeholders to find solutions”.
She appealed to the Ministries of Health and Education to collaborate and institute mental health programmes in schools, while increasing support for caregivers and mental health professionals.
People living with mental health
The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr Pinaman Apau, in a statement delivered on her behalf, said more than two million people in the country lived with mental illness, but only a fraction received the needed care due to insufficient facilities, personnel and stigma.
She, however, said that mental illness is a medical condition that deserves attention, dignity and respect, just like any other health condition.
Dr Apau said the lack of care and consistent stigma against persons with mental health issues had made a lot of them contemplate suicide.
She said breaking the stigma surrounding mental health required the collective efforts of all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, employers and community leaders.
"Let us commit today to break the silence and build a Ghana where mental health is a priority, not an afterthought," Dr Apau added.
