A Psychiatrist is advocating the inclusion of mental health education in the curriculum of basic schools through to the university level.
Dr Michael Atakora believes Ghana would have a population that understands mental health as one other medical condition to help fight the stigma and superstition attached to it.
The Sustainable Development Goal 3 has a target to reduce by one third, premature mortality from non communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promotion of mental health and well being.
In Ghana, persons with mental health issues have been stigmatised with just few receiving medical treatment.
It is common to see persons with mental health loitering on the streets with some of the women sexually abused.
Psychiatrist Dr Michael Atakora told Onuaonline if Ghana wants to achieve some success in the fight against stigmatisation of mental health issues, it was high time mental health education was included in schools curriculum.
“We need to develop something as a nation by incorporating mental health in the curriculum of schools from the basic to the University level as a core subject. If we begin in the next five years, we would have a population with some basic knowledge in mental health and for that matter not stigmatise people with mental health conditions but help them seek medical attention,” Dr Atakora explained.
He also wants insurance cover for mental healthcare providers to give off their utmost best in caring for their patients.
On major streets in the country, mentally challenged persons are seen sleeping or loitering around exposing other people to danger.
In the Ashanti region, there is no government funded shelter where such persons could be accommodated and given medical care.
To help clear the streets of mentally challenged persons, Wellingway Foundation, a privately owned rehabilitation centre has cleared the Central Business District of Kumasi off some women with mental conditions.
Two weeks after the women were cleared, Onuaonline followed up to see how they were faring.
All the women were seen looking stable and responding to treatment according to their Doctor, Michael Atakora.
CEO of Wellingway Foundation Lydia Abena Manu was elated the women were in stable condition after undergoing medical attention.
She regrets lack of family support for such individuals is a bane in the fight against mental health.
“Stigmatisation continues to be our major challenge in mental health in Ghana. It is not only the patients who are stigmatised but we the health workers are also tagged and stigmatised, Lydia Abena Manu stated.
She said “most of patients when they are healed do not want to go back to their families because they would not be welcomed and due to the stigma they relapse”
One of the patients called for support for private rehabilitation centres to enable persons with mental health issues receive care.
If there is a will there is certainly a way for such mentally challenged persons to live dignified lives in their state
By Beatrice Spio-Garbrah|Akoma FM|Onuaonline.com
