Sunyani: Over three million Ghanaians are currently living with mild mental health conditions, revealed Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), during a recent summit. The event, held in Fiapre within the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region, also underscored that more than 600,000 individuals are battling severe mental health conditions in the country.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Ahenu emphasized the urgency of treating mental health as a national priority, highlighting research that illustrates the significant burden these conditions place on Ghana. Stress and socio-economic pressures are identified as major contributors to the prevalence of mental health issues. Mr. Ahenu pointed out that many Ghanaians suffer in silence due to stigmatization and limited access to mental health care.
The GloMeF, in collaboration with the Indigenous Women Empowerment Network and Citizens Watch Ghana, secured a £300,000 grant from Fondation Botnar through Ecorys United Kingdom to implement the 'Resilient City for Adolescents' (RCA) project. This three-year initiative aims to enhance the well-being of adolescents in the Sunyani and Sunyani West Municipalities by fostering active citizenship among the youth and encouraging their participation in social, political, and economic activities.
The recent close-out session of the RCA project was designed to evaluate its implementation, share lessons learned, and showcase adolescent-led initiatives. During the session, Mr. Ahenu urged the nation to expedite the passage of the Mental Health Bill, noting that its delay hinders efforts to improve mental health services and protect vulnerable populations. He expressed concern over the insufficient number of psychiatric doctors in the country, with only 38 serving the entire population.
Furthermore, Mr. Ahenu called on families to be more vigilant regarding the psychological and emotional health of their children. He stressed the importance of early intervention to prevent mild conditions from escalating into severe ones and advocated for stronger collaboration among schools, health professionals, and community organizations to provide timely support and care. In addition, he urged for greater inclusion of young people in decision-making processes to better address mental health challenges.