People with mental health conditions are still being shackled in Ghana - Human Rights Watch

The Human Rights Watch organization has bemoaned the effect of the use of shackles on mental health patients by religious leaders and healing camps in Ghana.

The International non-governmental organization which defends the rights of people, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, is of the view that most healing camps and religious groups are abusing the rights of people with mental health issues in the name of healing.

The advocates for human rights are urging Ghanaians to uphold the country's ban on shackling and make mental health treatments more accessible to the populace. Additionally, they are urging officials to step up their game and inspect hospitals and temples to put an end to the cruel traditions of holding individuals against their will, especially in chains.

In a two-minute video shared on their Twitter handle, the organization asserted that they discovered about sixty people who were being shackled against their will, including children, during their visits to five prayer camps in Ghana, though the Ghanaian government banned the use of Shackles in 2017.

The group argued that people shouldn’t be chained or caged with the aim of healing.

Elizabeth Kamundia, a human rights watch advocate, mentioned that the conditions at these prayer camps, during their visit, could only be described as torture because the mentally ill people are forced to urinate, eat, and live their entire lives in a cramped space.

The deputy health minister, Tina Mensah, told the group that there should be more education for the public to support the rights of people with mental health issues, particularly healers.

According to her, they must be made aware that people with mental health issues also have rights and patients should also be aware of these rights.

“We witnessed conditions that can only be described as torture.”

People with mental health conditions

are still being shackled in Ghana.

Let’s call on Ghana to #BreakTheChains pic.twitter.com/4cQGP4bX8Q

— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) December 18, 2022