The Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), Raphael Godlove Ahenu, has disclosed that more than three million Ghanaians are currently living with mild mental health conditions, while over 600,000 others are battling severe mental health disorders.
Mr Ahenu made the disclosure at 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, recent research highlights the growing scale of Ghana’s mental health burden, stressing that the issue must be treated as a national priority.
“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.
Mr Ahenu attributed the rise in mental health conditions largely to stress and increasing socio-economic pressures, adding that many affected individuals continue to suffer in silence due to stigma and limited access to mental healthcare services.
“In fact, many people are suffering in silence due to stigmatisation and limited access to care,” he noted.
He explained that GloMeF, in partnership 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, supported by consortium partners under the Healthy Cities for Adolescents Initiative, aimed to improve the well-being of adolescents in the Sunyani and Sunyani West Municipalities by equipping young people to actively participate in social, political and economic activities.
The close-out session sought to evaluate the implementation of the project, highlight lessons learned and best practices, and showcase adolescent-led initiatives and innovations.
Mr Ahenu also called on government to expedite the passage of the Mental Health Bill into law, warning that delays continue to undermine efforts to improve mental healthcare delivery and protect vulnerable populations.
“It’s worrying that the government isn’t paying much attention to the passage of the bill,” he said. “We can’t have a country with a large number of people facing mental health challenges and yet have only 38 psychiatric doctors serving the entire population.”
He stressed that the passage of the bill would facilitate the allocation of adequate resources for the training, recruitment and deployment of mental health professionals across the country.
Mr Ahenu further urged families to pay closer attention to the emotional and psychological well-being of their children, expressing concern that many parents overlook early warning signs of mental distress.
“The behaviour of some children isn’t in order, but their families have not taken notice to help them seek medical care,” he stated, adding that early intervention remains critical in preventing mild mental health conditions from becoming severe.
He also called for stronger collaboration among schools, health professionals and community organisations to ensure timely support and care for affected individuals, while advocating greater inclusion of young people in decision-making processes.
