Dr Akwasi Osei

Mental Health Authority wants more resources to combat suicide

Irene Narh-Saam Sep - 10 - 2019 , 13:54

The Mental Health Authority (MHA) has urged the government to allocate more resources for suicide research in Ghana.

The Authority believes that research will enable it to fully appreciate the extent to which suicides are impacting the economy.

The MHA in a statement marking World Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, also appealed to all Ghanaians to help raise awareness on suicide prevention.

“First of all, we call on the government to resource the Mental Health Authority particularly to be able to conduct baseline research on suicides in the country,” the MHA said in a statement signed by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Akwasi Osei.

“This, we believe will help to fully appreciate the extent to which suicide is hurting our economy and inform the type of policy and interventions required to deal with these numbers”, the Authority stated.

The MHA also commended all stakeholders who have helped to create awareness of mental health issues continually throughout the country.

"The Mental Health Authority at this time commends all stakeholders who have helped in advocacy to continuously create awareness in mental health throughout the country. We also commend and continue to encourage the media to show greater interest in mental health issues including suicides. Such reports keep reminding the populace of the impending dangers that our nation faces, as it continues to lose a good number of its productive youth to suicides.

"We trust that the media, through its agenda-setting role, is able to put mental health issues at the forefront of public discussions, so as to give these silent but biting issues the necessary attention and priority that a nation like Ghana should be giving to suicides and mental health".

It also advised persons who require any psychological/ mental health support to call 0509497705 and 0558424645 to talk to a mental health professional.