More than three million Ghanaians are currently living with mild mental health conditions, while over 600,000 others are battling severe cases, according to Raphael Godlove Ahenu, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF).
Speaking at the close-out and learning summit of the “Resilient City for Adolescents” (RCA) project at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region, Mr Ahenu described the situation as a growing national crisis that requires urgent attention.
“Research is showing the scale of Ghana’s mental health burden, and this is a clear indication that mental health must be treated as a national priority,” he stated.
According to him, rising stress levels and worsening socio-economic hardships are among the major factors fueling mental health conditions in the country.
“In fact, many people are suffering in silence due to stigmatization and limited access to care,” he added.
Mr Ahenu explained that GloMeF, together with the Indigenous Women Empowerment Network and Citizens Watch Ghana, secured a £300,000 grant from Fondation Botnar through Ecorys United Kingdom to implement the three-year RCA project in the Sunyani and Sunyani West municipalities.
The initiative, supported by consortium partners under the Healthy Cities for Adolescents Initiative, sought to empower young people to actively participate in social, political, and economic activities while improving their overall wellbeing.
The close-out summit evaluated the implementation of the project, highlighted lessons learnt and best practices, and showcased adolescent-led innovations and initiatives.
Mr Ahenu also expressed concern over delays in passing the Mental Health Bill into law, saying the setback continues to undermine efforts to strengthen mental healthcare delivery and protect vulnerable people.
“It’s worrying that the government isn’t paying much attention to the passage of the bill,” he lamented.
He further noted that Ghana currently has only 38 psychiatric doctors serving the entire population despite the rising number of people facing mental health challenges.
According to him, the passage of the bill would help secure adequate resources for the training, recruitment, and deployment of mental health professionals across the country.
Mr Ahenu urged families to pay closer attention to the emotional and psychological wellbeing of their children, warning that many parents ignore early warning signs of mental distress until conditions worsen.
“The behaviour of some children isn’t in order, but their families have not taken notice to help them seek medical care,” he stated.
He stressed that early intervention remains critical in preventing mild mental health conditions from escalating into severe disorders.
- Mr Ahenu further called for stronger collaboration between schools, health professionals, and community organisations to provide timely support for young people and ensure their inclusion in decision-making processes.
