Over 3 Million Ghanaians Living With Mental Health Conditions — GloMeF
Advocacy group calls for urgent mental health reforms and passage of Mental Health Bill.
- GloMeF says over 3 million Ghanaians face mild mental health conditions.
- Stress, stigma and limited healthcare access blamed for rising cases.
- Group urges swift passage of Mental Health Bill into law.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation, 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 challenges.
Speaking at the close-out and learning summit of the “Resilient City for Adolescents” project at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region, Mr Ahenu described the growing mental health burden in Ghana as a major national concern requiring urgent attention.
According to him, available research indicates that mental health conditions are increasing steadily, driven largely by stress, economic hardship and other social pressures.
Mr Ahenu noted that many affected individuals continue to suffer in silence due to stigma and limited access to professional mental healthcare services.
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 Resilient City for Adolescents project in the Sunyani and Sunyani West municipalities.
The project aimed at improving the well-being of adolescents while empowering young people to actively participate in social, political and economic development within their communities.
The summit served as an opportunity to assess the impact of the project, highlight lessons learned, showcase adolescent-led innovations and discuss best practices for youth development.
Mr Ahenu further called for the swift passage of the Mental Health Bill into law, arguing that delays in the legislative process continue to undermine efforts to improve mental healthcare delivery and protect vulnerable groups.
He expressed concern over the country’s limited mental health workforce, revealing that Ghana currently has only 38 psychiatric doctors serving the entire population.
According to him, the passage of the bill would help mobilise adequate resources for the training, recruitment and deployment of more mental health professionals across the country.
Mr Ahenu also urged families to pay closer attention to the emotional and psychological well-being of children, warning that many early signs of mental distress are often ignored until conditions worsen.
He stressed that early detection and intervention remain critical in preventing mild mental health conditions from developing into severe disorders.
The GloMeF CEO further called for stronger collaboration among schools, healthcare professionals and community organisations to provide timely support for people experiencing mental health challenges, while also encouraging greater involvement of young people in decision-making processes.
