mhLAP calls for mental health board

The Mental Health Leadership and Advocacy Programme (mhLAP), has called for the formation of a board to ensure the smooth implementation of the mental health law.

Mr Humphrey Kofie, Country Facilitator of mhLAP, who made the call on Wednesday during a stakeholders meeting in Accra, said the mental health board would ensure that the legislative instrument necessary for the implementation of law is passed.

He also advised that people with expertise in mental health issues are included to serve on the board.

Mr Peter Yaro, Executive Director of Basic Needs, a non-governmental organisation, called for the establishment of community mental health care where family, the village community and village health nurses would have responsibility towards the mentally ill person.

He said there is the problem of food, security, medication and housing at the psychiatric hospital and it is important that community mental health care is introduced.

He said the psychiatric hospital could best serve as the place for very acute cases of mental health.

Professor Oye Gureje, the Initiator and Project Director of mhLAP called on government to ensure that the mental health board is constituted to ensure smooth implementation of the mental health bill.

The theme for the stakeholders meeting was “Briefing and reviewing on the state of the mental health board, legislative instrument and efforts by parliamentary select committee to implement the mental health law- the role of mhLAP stakeholders council”.

Source: GNA