EASTERN REGION HOST THE WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY CELEBRATION FOR THE 1ST TIME EVER IN GHANA
Hon. Sherry Ayitey delivering a keynote address during the event |
The
world mental health day is celebrated on the 10th of October every
year as initiated by the World Federation of Mental Health and supported by the
World Health Organization (WHO) since the year 1992 across the world to raise awareness
on mental health issues using its strong relationships with the Ministries of
Health and Civil Society Organizations across the globe.
In
Ghana, this year the day was marked for the first time at Koforidua in the
Eastern region to promote open discussion on mental illnesses as well as
investments in prevention and treatment services. It is amazing to note that significantly
the day has also seen launching of a new project dubbed “The restoring Dignity
Project by the Ghana Psychiatric Unit. The project seeks to get rid off
mentally derange from the street into the psychiatric unit until they become
revived before they are united with their families. It equally seeks to give
hope, support, devotion and life to these unfortunate mental patients seen
elsewhere in town across the country.
The
ceremony witnessed officials and dignitaries from the Mental health foundation,
the Ministry of Health, Health experts from across the world, civil society groups,
students from Koforidua Secondary
Technical school, Koforidua Nursing
Training College, Management and Staff of the three psychiatric hospitals in as
well as principals from various training
institutions in the country and the media
who took turn to grace the event.
The
chairman for the day, Daasebre Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng in his opening remark
underscored the need for all Ghanaians to be exposed to some sort of mental health
treatment / sensitization about how to calm nerves from pressures and tensions
that emanates out of everyday struggle by human beings in course of performance
of personal or official duties with the aim to promote national development.
The
Eastern Regional Minister, Honourable Helen Ntoso in her welcome address commended
the organizers of the event for bringing the 2013 World Mental Day celebration
program to the Eastern region for the first time. She lamented the lack of
accommodation for the psychiatrist who visits the regional hospital to review
mental patients pleading government support to help provide accommodation
facility to support them. She also appealed to the government to help send more
psychiatric nurses to the Eastern Region to aid mental health services since
the Eastern Region is highly rated among other regions in Ghana as number one when
it comes to mental health issues in Ghana.
The
Minister of Health, Hon. Sherry Ayitey in her keynote address said government
consider mental health issues as a crucial problem which demotes the
development of the nation and therefore government has it on it’s agenda to
support the initiatives that give relief in ironing out these challenges faced
by both older adults and the unfortunate ones in the society. She cited sound
mind as a catalyst to high productivity and creation of wealth indeed for
families as well as the nation which she believes goes a long way towards
promotion of national development. She noted every Ghanaian has a role to play
in awareness creation about mental health illnesses. She pledged government’s
support to ensure that the feeding fee of the mentally ill patients (both
in-patients and out patients) will soon witness an increment. In her statement
she disclosed Government is ensuring that all Government hospitals will have a
psychiatric Unit attached to see to acute cases before they are brought to the hospital
for treatment. She outlined Governments plan to transform the Kintampo School
of Health into a Teaching Hospital in where more nursing students can be well
trained for the job. Responding to the appeal made by the Chief Psychiatrist in
regards to the formation of a board to see to the implementation of the mental
health bill, she suggested a little patience be exercised on part of that
request, promising that by the end of this year the board will be formed and
issues of mental health will be a thing of the past.
As
part of activities for the day includes a mental health sketch performed by a Drama
troupe which depicts the challenges of older adults, giving warnings about
maltreatment of aged who are suffering from mental illness and sending a strong
signal to the participants that mentally ill people should be taken to the hospital instead
of witch camps and equally shown compassion and care followed by a thirty
minutes documentary on the Restoring
Dignity Project which reveals the activities of the Eastern Regional
Psychiatric unit when it comes to treatment of Mentally ill patients under the
project. Under this project, welfare of the mentally ill patients are guaranteed
as provision is made get rid of mentally ill personnel from the street to the psychiatric unit and given a good care
until they are fit to join their families back at home.
The
Minister of health,Hon Sherry Ayittey on
behalf of the Government of Ghana, successfully launched the project dubbed Restoring Dignity
to mark the day and to commemorate the success of the World Mental Day
celebration for 2013 on the theme “Mental health and older adults”
Daasebre
Professor Emeritus Oti Boateng in his closing remark lauded the British
Government for supporting the Government of Ghana with a sum of seven million
pounds to help aid mental health issues in the country.
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