The Mental Health and Well-Being Foundation, University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) chapter believes the greatest challenge currently in Ghana, is the absence of a national policy on suicide prevention.
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The President of the foundation, Mr. Abraham Norman Nortey who is a student at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho tells Awake News’ Kofi Tamakloe in an exclusive interview that the situation is worrying.
He is advocating for guidance and counselling centres in schools and communities, hence the call for nationwide campaign by the Mental Health and Well-Being Foundation.
Ghana’s lack of a national policy on suicide prevention coupled with absence of political will and commitment to empower the Mental Health Authority and negligence of counseling and guidance centres in schools and communities is an issue of concern.
To intensify its campaign, the Mental Health and Well-being Foundation, led by Mr. Abraham Norman Nortey, paid a courtesy call on the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa at his office in Ho.
The cal was necessitated by the desire of the executives of the foundation to embark upon information and counselling outreaches throughout Senior High Schools on Mental Health Education in general, and ‘suicide’ in particular due to the increasing incidence of the phenomenon among young people many among whom are students.
The WHO (2012) also states that globally, for every person who completes a suicide 20 or more may attempt to end his or her life.
Mr. Abraham is very optimistic that the outreach by the foundation will reduce the spate of suicide in the country .
With this educational outreach in the Volta Region, it will reduce the surge in suicide, especially among students as recorded in University for Development Studies and a 12-year-old class four student, Mr. Abraham emphasised.
By: Kofi Tamakloe
