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 Mr Ebenezer Akonnor Fianko (2nd left) handing over some kits for the games to Mr Emmanuel Pappoe (right), Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital
Mr Ebenezer Akonnor Fianko (2nd left) handing over some kits for the games to Mr Emmanuel Pappoe (right), Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital

Public urged to promote well-being of persons with mental conditions

The public has been urged to promote the emotional well-being of persons with mental conditions to help prevent possible suicides and to promote social inclusion.

The Project Coordinator of Care and Action in Mental Health for Africa (CAMHA), a Ghanaian-based health care non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mr Ebenezer Akonnor Fianko, said there was some level of stigma and exclusion towards those suffering from mental health and disorders.

He said the involvement of such persons in physical, formal and structured recreational competitive activity in any form could be an approved method for recovery in mental health care.

Games

Mr Fianko was speaking in Accra at the launch of the sixth annual CAMHA Games for mental health patients organised with support from the French Embassy in Ghana and other organisations, including PsycHealth Ghana, an NGO; Dakoma Ventures, dealers in medical equipment; and Harm Reduction Alliance of Ghana.

The 2019 edition, dubbed ‘Suicide prevention through social inclusion and sports’, will have inmates from the three psychiatric hospitals and some rehabilitation centres competing for a trophy, medals and other prizes.

The participating teams will be drawn from the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Pantang Psychiatric Hospital, Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, and the Drug and Alcohol Free Awareness and Rehabilitation Centre (DAFAREC).

They will participate in football, volleyball, table tennis among others at the games to be held on October 24 in Accra.

Launch

At the launch of the 2019 Games, Mr Fianko called on Ghanaians to show commitment in helping address the issue of mental health care and suicide in the country through social inclusion.

A lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Samuel Adjorlolo, said depression, anxiety and substance abuse were symptoms of mental disorder and suicidal behaviours which could be curtailed through sports.

He mentioned that the nation would not be able to develop when there were deficits in mental health and that through inclusion, mental health could be promoted and sustained.

“What I meant by inclusion was that persons with mental health disorders are involved in activities such as sports which have the tendency of reducing the risk associated with mental health,” he added.

Describing the upcoming sporting event as timely, Dr Adjorlolo said sports had the tendency of reducing the prevalence of mental health disorders and also reduce suicidal behaviours.

He said sporting events contributed to a reduction in the rate of suicide at both the individual and societal levels, and called on the Ghana Football Association to bring back the premier league, adding that “this has also been found to be promoting people’s mental health and reducing suicide”.

He said school-based sporting activities also helped to save lives by reducing the feeling of hopelessness among students.

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