The Mental Health Authority has launched the 24th edition of the Mental Health Day celebration in Accra on the theme, “Dignity in Mental Health: Psychological and Mental Health First Aid for all”. Dr Pinaman Appau, acting Director, Accra Psychiatric Hospital advised the public to stop the stigmatization and discrimination against mental patients, especially when mental health in Ghana had gotten to a stage of maturity particularly with the introduction of the Mental Health Authority. She identified the issue of stigmatization and discrimination against psychiatric patients as one of the most critical issues that MHA was addressing by placing emphasis on community care rather than institutional care and ensuring that mental health care was seen as any other illness for which patients would walk into any health facility for care.
“Mental healthcare in Ghana has developed and embarked on a medium to long term development plan and is poised to bring on board all resources required for the effective and efficient implementation of projects and programmes designed in the medium to long term plan,” she said.
Dr Apau noted the recognition, regulation, and collaboration with faith based and traditional healers around the country as some of the critical plans designed going forward.
“The mental Health Authority have also embarked on an initiative to clear the streets of all mentally-challenged persons to make the the streets safe”, she said.
Chief Clinical Psychiatrist at the Accra Psychiatric hospital as well as Chief Executive Officer of the mental health authority Dr. Akwasi Osei at the launch bemoaned the lack of legislative instrument backing Ghana’s Mental health Law .
“ The lack of the legislative instrument is rendering the mental health law useless and redundant opening windows for continuous abuse of mental health patients”.
“The rights of mental health patients are continually abused or trampled upon because there is no Legislative Instrument (LI) to enforce the mental health act (Act 846) and there are no resources for the governing board to operate”, he further mentioned.
“The LI would help improve and maintain quality mental health care and delivery in the country”.
He said the LI made provision for the welfare of patients, including adequate accommodation free from congestion, adequately aerated and illuminated, protected from rains, rodents and reptiles, and clean with storage and laundry facilities.
According to him, it also stipulated procedures for attaining standards and quality health care as prescribed by the Health Facilities Regulatory Act and practitioners’ professional standards.
To achieve efficient customer service delivery and discipline in mental institutions, Dr Osei said the LI further made provision for the establishment of a tribunal which relatives, carers or counselors could contact when they had complaints.
By: Caleb Ahinakwah / Radio Univers 105.7 MHz
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