Ghana to train 100 Psychiatrists in 10 years

Mental health care delivery in the country is expected to receive a shot in the arm in the next 10 years as steps are being taken to train more Psychiatric nurses and doctors to provide quality mental health care.

According to Dr Akwasi Osei, Acting C.E.O of the Mental Health Authority, about 100 Psychiatrists and 15,000 psychiatric nurses will be trained in the next ten years.

Currently there are only 18 psychiatrists in the country and 2,000 psychiatric nurses.

Dr. Osei told Starr FM’s Volta regional correspondent Lambert Atsivor, during a day’s working visit to the region by board members of the Mental Health Authority led by their chairman, Prof. Joseph Bediako Asare, that he envisages a “revolutionary” increase in the number of psychiatric health personnel in the next decade.

During the visit, the team interacted with officials of the Regional health directorate, the Deputy Volta regional minister, Francis Ganyaglo, Chiefs and Elders of Asogli traditional area, Management and staff of the mental health unit at the Volta regional hospital as well as the Church of Pentecost Prayer camp in Ho.

The tour, according to the Dr. Osei is aimed at soliciting stakeholder support for effective implementation of the Mental Health Act, 2012 (Act 846), including the establishment of Regional and district Mental Health Coordinating Committees to ensure effective and efficient decentralised mental health operation.