Access to mental health improves in Brong Ahafo

Access to mental health services in all the 27 municipalities and districts in the Brong Ahafo Region has seen major improvements over the last seven to eight years following a comprehensive and consistent campaign on mental health by MIHOSO International Foundation, an NGO.

The Brong Ahafo region had only five Mental Health Units as at 2011; but as a result of the intervention by the NGO, each of the 27 districts in the region now has an effective Mental Health Unit the various major health care facilities.

This has increased access to mental health care across the length and breadth of the region thereby removing some of the barriers which hitherto prevented mental health patients from seeking medical attention from properly designated points.

At Nkrankwanta, for instance, the Poly-Clinic there had no space for mental health services as the Mental Health Officer posted to the facility had to either operate under a tree or struggle for space within the Poly-Clinic.

MIHOSO International Foundation stepped in and collaborated with stakeholders in the area to put up a Mental Health Unit at the Poly-Clinic and as a result, demand for mental health service at the facility has increased by over 70%.

Besides, MIHOSO International Foundation has organized a series of training programmes for some Prophets who run Prayer Camps where mental patients are chained and sometimes beaten and subjected to all kinds of inhumane treatments.

The NGO took managers and attendants of some Prayer Centres through basic Mental Health disorders, causes of mental health disorders and the spiritual dimensions of mental illness.

“They were also taken through the human rights of persons with mental illness and epilepsy. The participants were also taught how to handle persons with mental illness and how mental health professionals could help deal the situation”, Pontius Ninwiiri, Programmes Co-ordinator of MIHOSO International Foundation told modernghana.com in Sunyani.

After the programme, these Prayer Camps have now improved the conditions of mentally ill persons in his camp.

One of such Camps is at Wamanafo in the Dormaa East District where the Operator of the camp has now constructed wooden structures with roofs to shelter persons who hitherto were left under the mercy of the weather.

According to Pontius Ninwiiri, “a Community Psychiatric Nurse at the Wamfie Health Center Miss Zipporah Appiah has now been assigned to attend to metal health patients in the camp.”

In the words of Pastor Kwadwo Ansu, Manager of the Prayer Camp, “it is always better to combine medication with prayers so as to facilitate speedy recovery of patients”.

He said through the support of the MIHOSO and its partners the camp has been able to heal 24 people with mental illness since the project started and reintegrated them into their families.

Modernghana.com gathered that a number of people suffering from various mental health problems and epilepsy have been assisted to recover from their illnesses and subsequently re-integrated smoothly into society.

For instance, a 26 year-old man of Dormaa Aboabo Number One who was forced out of school because he was epileptic has now been assisted through proper medication and care to work and earn an income.

He is now working with a Pharmacy and is about to pursue a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy at the Sunyani Technical University.

He has not had attack for nearly one year after the NGO’s intervention and he says, “when I see any sign that triggers the attack, I call my boss and stay back at home from work. I got this idea from one of our SHG workshop organized by MIHOSO. It prevents me from having attacks in public places.”

According to his father, they “no more put spoon in his month as they used to do as that can destroy his teeth rather, we now support his head with our legs to prevent him from hitting it on the ground and other objects which we learnt could bring more damage to his brain.