Joint press statement: Mental Health Authority, WHO (Ghana Office) & Ghana Somubi Dwumadie for World Mental Health Day
On this year’s World Mental Health Day, Mental Health Authority (MHA), World Health Organization (WHO) and Ghana Somubi Dwumadie (Ghana Participation Programme) calls on the Government of Ghana to commit to greater investment in mental health for Ghana.
The theme for the 2021 World Mental Health Day is “Mental Health in an Unequal World.” The lack of sufficient financing is acknowledged to be a critical gap in mental health service provision in Ghana. Stakeholders are keen to identify opportunities to increase the flow of funds in a sustainable way, to support mental health. Gaps in mental health service provision have been made worse by the negative impact of COVID-19 on people's mental health.
A high-level technical working group, led by MHA, facilitated by Ghana Somubi Dwumadie and including WHO, has overseen and guided work to develop an investment case for mental health. Members of the group are drawn from key mental health constituencies, such as government and non-government stakeholders, development partners and academics, as well as key areas of expertise. This broad and high-level membership revealed 3 key outcomes:
Investing in mental health supports Ghana’s economic growth
Investing in mental health strengthens poverty reduction efforts
Investing in mental health improves population health and reduces the burden on the health system
Today we are calling for investment in Mental Health to support improved access to psychotropic medicines, non-drug therapies, and strengthened governance and accountability measures, such as the establishment of the Mental Health Review Tribunal. We are also calling for the inclusion of mental health into the National Health Insurance Scheme benefits package, and the use of the United Nations-One Health Tool to accurately cost key mental health interventions and address resource adequacy for mental health service and system scale-up.
We call on the Ministry of Local Government to mandate and enforce the existing policy where the Municipal and District Assemblies are required to make budgetary allocations (ring- fenced) for mental health.
We further encourage, under the canopy of corporate social responsibility, for private and corporate organisations to redirect some of their resources to invest in mental health
Notes for the editor
About Mental Health Authority:
The Mental Health Authority is an agency set up by an Act of Parliament, Act 846 of 2012 to oversee and regulate mental health care in Ghana. It has a mandate to propose, promote and implement policies to improve mental health delivery in Ghana.
For more details contact:
Dr Caroline Amissah
Deputy Chief Executive
0249379426
Dr Yaw Amankwa Arthur
Ag Head, Health Promotions,
Mental Health Authority
0201650729
Ghana Somubi Dwumadie
This is a four-year disability programme in Ghana, with a specific focus on mental health. This programme is funded with UK aid from the UK government. The programme is run by an Options-led consortium, which also consists of Basic Needs-Ghana, King’s College London, Sight savers International and Tropical Health. The programme has a key focus on mental health governance, planning and resourcing, through support to government bodies, in particular to the Mental Health Authority (MHA).
For more details contact:
Dorcas Mensah
Communications Manager
050 470 1239
About WHO:
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health"
For more details contact:
Leveana Gyimah, MD
Technical Officer- Mental Health
WHO Country Office- Ghana
Email: gyimahl@who.int
Tel: +233(0) 244 967 245