A Psychology lecturer at the Methodist University College, Mr. Adolf Bekoe has called on stakeholders to place priority on issues with regards to mental health in the country.
His call comes on the back of a final year Consumer Science student of the University of Ghana jumping off her balcony to her untimely death on Monday.
According to him, the country has failed to invest in issues with regards to mental health although the mind is the most valuable resource of the human body.
“As a country, mental health is at the lowest. We pay the least attention to people’s mental health but health generally includes mental health. The sanity of our mind is extremely important, it is the most valuable resource that we have. Our state does not pay attention and direct resources to mental health issues so as a country we are naked when it comes to mental health.”
He noted that in Ghana, most people link issues of mental health with spiritual connotations rather than seeking medical attention from experts but advised that issues with mental health should be treated with the attention that it needs.
“On the national level, we need to be serious with issues concerning mental health. Until recently we had no Clinical psychologist in the hospitals and although there has been a move to employ them, how many are they? Our health policy must give more attention to mental health issues,” he told the host of Daybreak Upper East.
Mr. Adolf underscored the need for parents to respect the limitations of their children and avoid the pressure they place on their children by comparing them to other children because each child has his unique qualities.
He posited that going forward, there is the need for psychology to be studied at all levels of education in the country in order to help address some of the challenges people especially children go through.
By: Offei-Akoto Ayeh/a1radioonline.com/Ghana
