info@businessghana.com
The Chief Executive of Mental Health Authority (MHA), Professor Adwoa Pinaman Appau, has lamented the exodus of nurses working in the three psychiatric facilities under the authority’s care due to poor conditions of service.
She said just last year, 123 nurses from the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, and Pantang Psychiatric Hospital left the country to the United Kingdom.
She expressed concern that more nurses may also leave the country this year.
Dr Appau was speaking at the MHA annual performance review held in Accra yesterday.
She noted that the resignation and departure of experienced nurses in the facilities compounded the challenges of the MHA as it was left with no choice but to rely on inexperienced graduates.
The annual performance review was held to assess the impact of mental health service delivery in 2023, as well as the overall performance of the sector and challenges, and map out strategies to ensure quality and accessible mental health care for all.
Dr Appau said aside from grappling with the exodus of experienced nurses, the MHA also did not have enough psychiatrists, indicating that the country now has only 73 psychiatrists, with a ratio of one psychiatrist to over 400,000 people with reference to Ghana's current population of over 30 million people.
This figure is however an improvement on previous years, as the country could only boast of 12 psychiatrist as at 2010.
The MHA Chief Executive noted that this year the authority would undertake a new initiative on the theme: "Fostering Community Well-Being through Progressive Mental Health Awareness Initiatives."
Some participants in the performance review session
“This initiative is to help augment ongoing efforts to improve the level of awareness, reduce stigma and promote understanding of mental health in our communities,” she explained.
She added that the MHA was anticipating the announcement of the inclusion of mental health clients onto the national health insurance scheme to help address the medication challenges most of the clients faced.
In a speech read on behalf of the Chief Director, Hafiz Adam, by the Director of Pharmacy at the Ministry of Health, Dr Joycelyn Azeez, he said more than 2.3 million individuals grappled with diverse mental health conditions.
He said mental health care was fraught with significant challenges, marked by a considerable 98 per cent treatment gap according to the World Health Organisation report in August last year.
"Only two per cent of Ghanaians dealing with mental health conditions have access to psychiatric treatment and support through healthcare facilities.
This situation highlights the gravity of mental health challenges in Ghana," Mr Adam stressed, and noted that the government was committed to allocating resources to address the mental health needs of the populace and guarantee the necessary attention and priority it deserves.
