The Country Director for DFID, Philip Smith, has called on government and other stakeholders to increase funding for essential psychotropic medications. He said this in an interview with GBC’s Radio Ghana.
He pledged that DFID and the UK aid will continue to support government to deal with the situation.
Meanwhile, the access to psychotropic medications for mental patients has been identified as a major challenge to effective delivery of quality healthcare in Ghana.
Though there has been support from government, development partners and NGO’s such as Basic Needs and the Mental Health Society of Ghana MEHSOG, the problem continue to persist. The unavailability of the medicines is partly attributed to insufficient funds to support the budget of the health facilities.
This came up after some development partners from DFID and UK aid paid a visit to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital and the Usher Fort Clinic in Accra. The visit was to assess the mental health situation in those facilities and how such patients are catered for.
Moreover, the British High Commissioner to Ghana Ian Walker has observed that stigma is also a major barrier to care and treatment of Mental disorders in Ghana.
He then urged that particular attention be given to the issue.
Source: GBC
