Pass L.I. For Mental Health Act Now―CDD

The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has charged Parliament to pass with all urgency, the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) that will back the full implementation of the Mental Health Act, 2012 (Act 846).

On the occasion to mark the World Mental Health Day (WMHD), the Governance Think Tank admonished government to put in more resources to ensure the full implementation of the Act.

In a statement signed by CDD’s Communications Officer, Efua Idan Atadja, “Six years after the Mental Health Act, 2012 (Act 846) was passed, the absence of a Legislative Instrument (LI) to ensure effective implementation of the Act remains a challenge.”

It continued: “This, coupled with insufficient resources allocated to mental healthcare, inadequate number of mental health professionals, cultural and traditional factors that impede the efficient delivery of mental health care, total disregard for the dignity and fundamental human rights of mental health patients and absence of a governing board for the Mental Health Authority, should be matters of grave concern not only to government, but to citizens as well.”

According to CDD-Ghana, WMHD presents government the opportunity to put in place, systems to ensure the quality of mental healthcare to Ghanaians.

CDD-Ghana further called for the setting up of a Mental Health Fund which will improve mental health delivery.

WMHD

Last Wednesday was globally observed as World Mental Health Day under the theme: “Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World”.

The day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

By: Justice Dzido