Steps are being taken to ensure that health facilities in the regions and the districts offer mental health care to enable mental health patients in the country to access medical care in the various regions and districts from next year.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority (MHA), Dr Akwasi Osei, who stated this in an interview with the Daily Graphic, noted that the decentralisation of mental health services across the nation would reduce the heavy toll on the three main hospitals in the country, namely the Accra and Pantang Psychiatric hospitals, and the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
Positive change
Promising a positive change in the delivery of mental health care in the country within a period of five years, Dr Osei said, to achieve this, regional health sub-committees had been set up in the Eastern, Volta, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra regions, while that of the Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions would be inaugurated by the end of September, with the sub-committees for the Western and Central regions to be constituted in October.
He explained that these committees were mandated to facilitate the smooth shift of mental health care, from the national to community levels, where care delivery could be accessed. He also said as a starter, 20 beds would soon be provided to each of the regional and district facilties, with medical facilities and services for the treatment of patients.
In addition, he said as a way of encouraging traditional healers and prayer camps to assist in caring for mentally ill patients, people would be trained to attend to such patients without them being chained. He added that another committee would be constituted to monitor their (traditional healers and prayer camps) activities nationwide.
Human rights abuse
Furthermore, as part of tackling human rights abuse of mentally ill patients, the Chief Psychiatrist said MHA would soon establish mental health tribunals to monitor human rights conditions in all mental healthcare facilities across the country.
He stressed that the tribunals to be established in every region and district would ensure that people who have been unjustifiably admitted to psychiatric hospitals and religious camps, received hearing and the proper punishment against those who violated their rights administered if necessary.
He continued that as part of its operation, MHA was clearing the streets of mentally ill patients roaming the streets and taking some of them to the psychiatric hospitals for treatment and rehabilitation.
To attain the dream of clearing the streets of mentally ill patients and also ensuring that mental health care in the country meets the world standard, Dr Osei pleaded with Ghanaians to donate to the Mental Health Fund which, he said, had also been established to ensure the regular flow of funds.
