Give more attention to mental health issues - Dr. Owusu Sarfo

Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Jacob Owusu Sarfo, has urged the management of the University of Cape Coast to give more attention to issues of mental health for staff and students. He said although management has made significant progress regarding issues of mental health in the past, more efforts are required, particularly in light of the university’s ranking as the best globally. Dr. Owusu Sarfo, who is also a senior lecturer at the department of mental health, UCC was speaking at a symposium hosted by the Department of Mental health in commemoration of World Mental Health Day on Monday, October 10, 2022. The 2022 World Mental Health day was on the theme, “Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority”. Speaking on the sub-theme “Make mental health and well-being a UCC priority”, he pointed out that, research by the World Health Organization found numerous risk factors that can affect mental health at work. These he said include an excessive workload, lack of support, and an unfavorable working environment among others. He noted that maintaining good mental health and well-being at the workplace is crucial since it helps to improve performance, boost memory, and increase productivity. To him, it is important for organizations to have policies about mental health, identify people going through challenges, and offer them support. Speaking to ATL FM NEWS, on the sidelines, he said management needs to develop strategies to support staff and students in overcoming mental health issues. “Some of the interventions that are being proposed by the WHO to help with the problems of mental challenges in the workplace, including better communication between employers and supervisors so that there is better understanding about the nature of somebody’s work,” he continued. On his part, the head of Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Kwadwo Marfo Obeng stated that mental health and work are intertwined and that poor conditions can lead to poor mental health. He, therefore, admonished employers to protect and promote the mental health of all workers. “As a university community as we forge ahead as the best university in Ghana, in West Africa, fourth best in Africa, we have a role to play to ensure that mental well-being for academic staff or administrators, of other workers in the university and our students, is a priority,” he continued. To him, centers such as Guidance and Counselling, Centre for Gender, Research, Advocacy, and Documentation CEGRAD among others in the university should be made obvious for people to access their services.