A Clinical Psychologist at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Counseling Center Ms. Akua Afriyie Addae has called on government to step up measures aimed at educating the citizenry on mental health.
She added that in the course of public education, authorities should direct persons with mental related issues to the appropriate health facilities for treatment.
This suggestion was offered consequent to the staggering figures on the number of persons suffering from some form of mental disorder globally and how some countries have overlooked the need to set in motion pertinent actions to curtail the menace.
According to statistics, approximately 450 million people suffer from some form of mental disorder with over 900,000 people committing suicide every year.
Speaking in an interview at the hub of the SOS Children Villages-Kumasi Project; No Business as Usual (NBU), the clinical psychologist said that Ghana at the moment has to his advantage so much health professionals and that existing organizations should hire for their services so that employees having mental issues can receive care.
Akua Afriyie advised managers of institutions to handle the foregoing in such a way that staff will not be stigmatized.
These counsels were raised by her at the time an event dubbed; “IDEANOMIC 12”, organized by executives of the European Union Funded Project NBU was in session at the hub on 20th August 2020.
The theme was “MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY”.
Objectives were;
- Enlighten participants on the two most common mental health conditions (anxiety disorders and mood disorders) and the signs and symptoms associated with them
- Educate participants on the need for mental health awareness to improve their general understanding on mental health issues.
NBU trainees aged between 18-35 years were the target for the program. IDEANOMICS 12 took the form of speaker presentations and question and answer sessions.
“In as much as mental health is a fundamental component to human health, recognition of mental disorders and awareness importance is limited”, Shaibu Fuseini (Training Cordinator for NBU) indicated in his official statement.
source; www.leakynews.net
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