The Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), Raphael Godlove Ahenu, has revealed that more than three million Ghanaians are living with mild mental health conditions, while over 600,000 others are battling severe mental health disorders.
Mr. Ahenu disclosed this during the close-out and learning summit of the “Resilient City for Adolescents” (RCA) project held at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region.
According to him, the growing figures highlight the urgent need for Ghana to prioritise mental health care and strengthen support systems for vulnerable persons.
“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.
Stress, Economic Hardship Blamed
Mr. Ahenu attributed the rising mental health burden partly to stress and worsening socio-economic pressures facing many Ghanaians.
He explained that stigma and limited access to mental health care continue to prevent many affected persons from seeking professional help.
“In fact, many people are suffering in silence due to stigmatisation and limited access to care,” he stated.
The GloMeF CEO further lamented the inadequate number of mental health professionals in the country, disclosing that Ghana currently has only 38 psychiatric doctors serving the entire population.
Call for Urgent Action
Mr. Ahenu called for swift action to improve mental health services, including the passage and implementation of legislation aimed at protecting persons living with mental health conditions.
“It’s worrying that the government isn’t paying much attention” to mental health reforms, he said, stressing that delays continue to undermine support for vulnerable groups.
He also urged families to pay closer attention to the emotional and psychological wellbeing of children, warning that early signs of mental distress are often ignored until conditions become severe.
According to him, early intervention remains critical in preventing mild mental health conditions from escalating into more serious disorders.
Adolescents Project
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.
The initiative sought to improve the wellbeing of adolescents in the Sunyani and Sunyani West municipalities by equipping young people to actively participate in social, political and economic activities.
The summit also served as a platform to assess the project’s implementation, share lessons learnt and showcase adolescent-led innovations and initiatives.
