Specialist Urges Interventions as 26.8% of Pregnant Women Experience Postpartum Depression

Sunyani: Dr Elsie Abakisi, a Senior Specialist at the Department of Psychiatry at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, has raised concerns over the rising incidence of Postpartum Depression (PPD) among pregnant women and nursing mothers. She emphasized the need for robust interventions to combat this growing issue. According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Abakisi highlighted that research indicates 26.8 per cent of pregnant women suffer from PPD, reflecting a concerning trend where approximately one in four women is affected. PPD, as outlined by Dr Abakisi, emerges after childbirth and involves persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, and fatigue. Dr Abakisi shared these insights during an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani, conducted on the sidelines of a training session for the project 'Strengthening community health systems to enhance integrated people-centred HIV, TB, SRH and MHPSS for vulnerable women and adolescents in Ghana.' This initiative is being implemented by BasicNeeds-Ghana in collaboration with the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), the Centre for People's Empowerment and Rights Initiatives (CPRI), and the Mental Health Society of Ghana (MEHSOG). The training session saw participation from health facility heads, Health Directors, and other key personnel from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Bono Region. Funded by L'Initiative, the project is supported by various collaborators, including the GHS, Ghana Mental Health Authority (MHA), Global Fund (GF), Ghana Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), and the Ghana AIDS Commission, for a duration of 36 months. Dr Abakisi identified factors like recurring intimate partner violence and poverty as prevalent risk factors for PPD, noting that women with underlying conditions such as HIV, AIDS, and Tuberculosis (TB) are also at risk. She advocated for intensified public education to address violence against women and manage PPD effectively, underscoring the necessity of a collective approach. She also expressed concern that many women with PPD tend to avoid breastfeeding, which hampers the holistic growth and development of their children. These children might face challenges in social interactions, exhibit aggression, or experience delays in speech and language development, which can impact their academic performance. Dr Abakisi called for collaborative stakeholder efforts to address the issue, considering the myriad challenges faced by affected mothers and their children. Mr Dokurugu Yahaya, Head of Programmes at BasicNeeds-Ghana, elaborated on the project's implementation across seven regions, covering 27 communities in 14 districts and municipalities nationwide. The regions include Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Bono, and Greater Accra. Mr Yahaha stated that the project's primary aim is to improve maternal and child health outcomes for the most vulnerable women and girls. It focuses on strengthening community systems to provide integrated, people-centered HIV, TB, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), mental heal th, and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) during the peripartum period for women and adolescent girls living with or at risk of HIV. Additionally, the project seeks to address gender-based disparities and healthcare access inequalities among pregnant and postpartum women and adolescent girls living with or at risk of HIV.