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The health of the society can´t be provided if no one is taking care of the ones suffering from mental health problems. That was the theme of the walk on Saturday, 21st April. About 120 people marched from Nkrumah Circle to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital holding up posters and spreading flyers. Raising awareness for the treatment of mentally ill people and aid appeal for financial support were the main aims as well as putting emphasis on upcoming events.
It was organized by the Hospital in collaboration with GH today and “Reality Ghana”. This NGO was started by Mr. Attakorah Amaniampong Nyamekye on 24th October in 2015. Young people are dedicating in caring and supporting the less privileged, working for a healthier citizenry and emphasize on national issues. “Reality Ghana”, with the slogan: Dare to Dream, makes the demand in themselves to make the world a better place.
At the end of the one-hour walk, the participants arrived at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital – a place for treatment, welfare, and rehabilitation of patients. Mental health workers are severely over-worked and under-resourced. Understandably according to the fact, that there are less than 15 psychiatrists on populations of 26 million people. The governmental support is few and some clinics are even private, founded by dedicated doctors. Mental health care should be accessible to all.
Moreover, the mental health workers must deal with stigmas, like people don´t attach importance of dealing with mental health problems, very little prestige in working as a psychiatrist. Contrary for instance to Germany, where the career as a psychiatrist is considered to be fulfilled by hard-working and intelligent people and it´s much appreciated by most citizens.
Mental health problems aren´t impossible to be managed
Mental health problems are still barely accepted in society nowadays, the director of the hospital told us so. Patients, who got sent home, because they are healed and stable enough to live outside the clinic in an environment of family and friends often got obeyed by their own relatives, making their lives miserable.
Even in 21st-century psychological diseases often scare people, because they don´t know, what is going on in the heads of the invalids. Of course, this is no excuse. There must be more campaigns for education. Most of the mental sicknesses can´t be healed completely, but the patients can be taught how to live with it. It´s a long way, but it´s a possible one.
For this no longer being ignored “Reality Ghana” is working on it, but they need donations to create a change. You can be a part of them making the world a better place.
Story by: Elisabeth Fitzke
