The International Institute of ICT Journalism (Penplusbytes), with support from STAR-Ghana, is holding a day’s forum to explore ways in sustaining efforts at improving mental health care in the country.

The forum is being attended by civil society organisations, media and health practitioners at Hohoe in the Volta Region.

A release signed and copied to the GNA by Mr Jerry Sam, Project Director of Penplusbytes, said the forum was to help demand better quality of service from health officials and efficient allocation of funds from government to improve mental healthcare in Ghana.

The forum, which is the second of its kind by Penplusbytes, is aimed at creating the needed collaborative platform for direct engagement between members of the media, health officials and other key stakeholders.

“Ultimately, this forum is expected to draw their participation in holding responsive agencies and structures accountable in the expenditure and delivery of improved mental healthcare”.

Ms Charity Binka, Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and Executive Secretary of the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) is chairing the forum.

The release explained that “this one-day forum falls under the ‘Open Ghana - Data Journalism for Improved Maternal Healthcare Delivery’ project designed by Penplusbytes to broaden the knowledge scope and equip the media in the use of techniques in data-driven journalism to tell impactful stories that reveal the various dynamics of maternal healthcare delivery in four districts in the Volta Region – Ho, Hohoe, Kpando and South Dayi.

The project looks to exploit available, innovative strategies for evidence-based advocacy in maternal healthcare delivery.”

Mr Kwami Ahiabenu II, President of Penplusbytes, said “The key to recording measurable success in achieving the country’s MDG5 target lies not in disjointed singular efforts by either Government, Civil Society, Journalists or duty bearers in the health sector but through finding that common ground and shared goal of ensuring accountability and efficiency in the utilization of resources for improved maternal healthcare within the targeted districts and the region as a whole.”