Mental health care undergoing silent revolution – Dr. Akwasi Osei assures

Chief Executive of the Ghana Mental Health Authority, Akwasi Osei, is upbeat about improvements in mental health care in Ghana as a result of ongoing programmes and policy implementation.
Dr. Osei is confident the solid foundation being laid in terms of the enactment of the Mental Health Law and anticipated passage of a Legislative Instrument are already an indication of the bright future of mental health issues in the country.
“We have formed Regional Mental Health Sub-Committees which will be the regional representatives of the Mental Health Authority in the regions so that mental health will no longer be a national affair but decentralized. After the regional sub-committees, we will go down further to form District sub-Committees. We have also appointed National Directors of the Mental Health Authority and they will facilitate the implementation of the Mental Health law,” he explained.
Dr. Osei was speaking to section of the media on the sidelines of the National Review of Mental Health care held at Hotel Stevens in Ho, the Volta Region capital.
He also said plans to implement a Mental Health Law have progressed steadily.
“We have finished drafting the Legislative Instrument which will be the main instrument by which the parent law will be implemented.
“It is now with the Parliamentary Select Committee of Subsidiary Legislation; and hopefully in the next three to six month, it will come out,” Dr Osei hinted.
According to him, the passage of the Mental Health Law, the establishment of Regional Sub-Committees, appointment of directors for the Mental Health Authority and the establishment of a Mental Health Fund are strong foundations that are indicative of a better future of mental health care.
The National Review of Mental Health offered the opportunity for all stakeholders of mental health care to do an introspection of activities in the 2015 and to strategize for the year 2016 and beyond.
The Review was also used to honour hardworking staff of the authority. The Volta Regional Mental Health Coordinator was adjudged the best regional Co-ordinator.