The Executive Director of Mental Health Advocacy Foundation MHAF has called for a concerted effort in dealing with mental health issues in the country. Mr. Stephen Asante made this call when his foundation with support from the Nkoranza Mental Health Unit took charge of the full cost of treatment of a mental health patient.
Adom (not her real name), a 17-year-old
girl was first seen 2018 roaming some streets of Nkoranza begging for food. The
first-year junior high school student dropped out of school when she started experiencing
some signs and symptoms of mental illness. Adom’s family are not able to
support her since her mother is also vagrant and father, late.
With the help of the then Municipal
Director of health Services, Dr. Damien Punguyire and other Individuals and
groups drugs and assorted items were purchased for Adom’s treatment in 2019 but
the process stalled. Adom’s deteriorating
mental health necessitated MHAF to get her taken to the Ankaful Psychiatric
Hospital at Cape-Coast for treatment since both families of client seem not to
be interested in her health.
MHAF sole aim is to assist Adom in
any way possible to ensure she recovers and reintegrated back to society.
