Government is committed to mental health care, Akufo-Addo assures

President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured stakeholders in the provision of mental health care in the country that his administration is committed to making that aspect of health service a priority.

In his speech ahead of the official commissioning of “The Melody”, a new office complex of the department of psychiatry of the University of Ghana Medical School at Korle-Bu today, Tuesday 6 June 2023, President Akufo-Addo said his administration is on course with the provision of the needed infrastructure to support mental health care services in the country.

“Our journey to provide comprehensive and accessible health care for all is ongoing. Together, we can build a nation where mental health care is a priority and every Ghanaian receive the care and support, they deserve” President Akufo-Addo said.

“It is with some pride that I say that the NPP government has added some two psychiatric hospitals to the agenda 111 hospital projects. This two are to be built in the Ashanti and Northern Regions” Akufo-Addo added.

Suicide decriminalized

In his remarks, President Akufo-Addo observed that “in 2019, [Government] launched the legislative instrument (LI) for mental health which is establishes the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders including the government, private sector, and civil society”. The mental health authority President Akufo-Addo said is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the LI in order to ensure its effectiveness.

All these steps the President noted, are part of efforts aimed at improving mental health care delivery in the country. He further indicated that the recent decision to decriminalize suicide in the country will also go a long way to help in the process of mental help delivery.

“I am delighted to announce that on 31 March 2023, we took a significant step forward for mental health service delivery by decriminalizing suicide in Ghana. This progressive move will help remove stigma, improve access to care and improve outcomes for individual struggling with suicidal thoughts and behaviours in the country” President Akufo-Addo remarked.

State-of-the-art facility

Touching on the building, “The Melody”, President Akufo pointed out that the “state-of-art facility will not only serve the University of Ghana medical school but also serves the larger Korle-Bu hospital community”.

“It houses a conference room, student lecturer hall, faculty research offices, a serene waiting area conducive to teaching and learning, trendy consulting rooms, therapy rooms, a treatment room, a pharmacy and an observation room.

“This building symbolises a beautiful partnership between public institutions and the private sector. It shows what can be achieved when the experts sit with the private sector and the private sector become aligned to its responsibilities and this partnership, then deepens government’s commitment to advancing mental health care in Ghana” President Akufo-Addo said.

“The melody, as this building is to be called, just by the way it looks ad by virtual of where it is situated, will decrease stigma towards patients and professionals who practice. It represents a beacon of hope, a sanctuary where individuals can seek help without fear of judgement, discrimination or social isolation” the President Added.

Vision / motivation to build

Immediate past head of the Psychiatry department of the University of Ghana, Professor Angela Ofori-Atta, who is credited with mobilizing funds for the construction of the ultramodern office complex for the department of psychiatry, in a brief address noted that she is delighted to witness the completion of the building project which was conceived some 20 years ago.

“For this building we raised funding from friends and family. From the Ken and Angie Ofori-Atta Foundation, from Kwesi Atuah of Life Forms Limited, from the Osei-Bonsu family, and from Keli Gadzekpo and family ventures” Professor Angela Ofori-Atta said.

 

Source: AsaaseRadio