This year’s National Mental Health Day was celebrated on Tuesday at Dambai in the Oti Region with a call on Ghanaians to respect the rights of mentally challenged persons.
Speaking at the programme, Professor Francis Kasolo, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said mental health is a fundamental human right to all persons.
He added that people with mental illness have the right to protection against mental health risk and right to inclusion in the community.
Professor Kasolo said through funding support from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), WHO has been able to collaborate with Mental Health Authority (MHA), Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to implement the Quality Rights Initiative in 2019.
He said that aims at achieving quality mental health services and promoting the rights of persons with mental health conditions and psychological challenges.
Professor Kasolo disclosed that the implementation of Quality Rights Initiative has led to the training of over 30,000 health and non-health workers on issues of human rights of the mentally challenged.
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MHA, Dr Pinaman Appau, called for the inclusion of mental health education in the country’s school curriculum.
She also proposed for national public education campaign on mental health care, saying that many people are ignorant mental health issues.
The Oti Regional Minister, Mr Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu, urged Ghanaians to promote mentally healthy environment with their lifestyles.
Bala Ali, ISD
