BasicNeeds presents psychiatric, anti-epileptic drugs
An advocate of mental healthcare, BasicNeeds-Ghana, has presented $3.9 million worth of assorted psychotropic and anti-epileptic medicines to four health institutions in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Brong Ahafo regions.
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The drugs are to be distributed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) and the regional hospitals in the Upper East, Upper West and the Brong Ahafo regions. The drugs were procured through support from Direct Relief, a United States of America-based charity, and Breast Care International.
Epilepsy
Speaking at the presentation ceremony last Monday, a consultant psychiatrist at the TTH, Dr Mohammed Sorri, urged Ghanaians to disabuse their minds that epilepsy and other mental disorders were caused by demons, curses or witchcraft. He indicated that mental health disorders could be corrected by administering psychotropic and anti-epileptic drugs.
The consultant, therefore, advised the public against seeking treatment for mental illness at prayer camps, and from spiritualists like mallams.
Dr Sorri, who is the only psychiatrist with the TTH and a senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS) School of Medicine and Health Sciences, encouraged families that had people living with mental disorders to go for the drugs which he said were free.
Access
The Programmes Co-ordinator of BasicNeeds, Mr Dokurugu Adams, who made the presentation, expressed the hope that the drugs would help improve mental healthcare in the beneficiary institutions.
According to him, the gesture by BasicNeeds was geared towards increasing access treatment for persons living with mental disorders, especially epilepsy.
The Northern Regional Mental Health Co-ordinator, Mr Fuseini Mumuni, who received the drugs on behalf of the health institutions, thanked the donors for their support.
He said the last time the region took delivery of mental healthcare drugs was in April last year.