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GHANA WEATHER

Media Coalition for Mental Health Reform born

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A  Research conducted by Mental Health Advocacy organization, Basic Needs-Ghana has revealed that only three (3) percent of resources are made available for mental health financing at the community level.

The organization observed that the 97 percent funding gap for community-based mental health services is indeed cause for concern, because mental health is important in ensuring Universal Health Coverage.

Basic Needs-Ghana is therefore spearheading the formation of a Media Coalition For Mental Health Reform to champion the cause of mental health delivery in Ghana.

GBC’s Rebecca Ekpe reports that a recent Ghana Health Service report shows that 42 percent of Ghanaians live with psychological disorder.

This translates into the fact that close to half of Ghana’s population may be suffering from some kind of mental health condition.

Quite alarming, however, mental health advocates say little is being done to bring the issue to the front burner.

Mental Health Advocate, Peter Yaro of Basic Needs Ghana says Ghana cannot boast of human centered development without focusing on the overall Mental Health of its people.

Photo caption: A cross section of the journalists at the engagement

This is why Basic Needs Ghana, in collaboration with the Mental Health Authority, with support from STAR-Ghana is spearheading engagements with the media on mental health financing in Ghana with the aim to ensure that the media keeps the discussion going to improve access to community mental health services and general mental health services in Ghana.

STAR-Ghana’s Ibrahim Tanko Amidu described Mental Health challenges as “a reality”. He said “more needs to be done to achieve sustainable change in mental health delivery in Ghana”.

”Many of us know someone in our life time who had or is suffering from mental health, so why are we not talking about it, as we should? said Ibrahim Tanko Amidu.

Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei said journalists must do more advocacy to get government to pay critical attention to the health needs of the country.

He stressed that it is time to move from ”sensitization on mental health to behavioral change”’, as a way of ensuring Ghana’s attains its goal of Universal Health Coverage by the year 2020.

Story by Rebecca Ekpe

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