Ghana has only 18 psychiatrists; experts beg government for more funds

The Department of Psychiatry of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has appealed to government to support the training of more psychiatrists.

The Acting Head of Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Ruth Owusu Antwi bemoaned the small number of psychiatric doctors in the country and called for more funds from government to increase the number.

She made the passionate appeal during the Mental Health Week celebration by KATH last week.

Dr. Ruth Owusu said the population of Ghana is 27million but only 18 psychiatric doctors are in the system, describing the situation as pathetic .She said the the doctor-patient ratio was around I: 2 million people,

She said psychiatric doctors in the country used to be 22 in number, but eight are currently on retirement, leaving only 14 in active service.

With regards to psychiatric nurses, Dr. Ruth Owusu said there are only 1,600 in the system instead of 20,000 required by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

She asked Ghanaians to support any worker who faces mental problem in order to decrease the menace in the country.