Informatie uit Ghana
Door: Jolijn
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Jolijn
30 December 2006 | Nederland, Eindhoven
It is very certain that most Ghanaians were very alarmed when Dr. Akwasi Osei, acting Chief Psychiatrist of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital blew the lid on the non-receipt of funds from government which would make about 1,050 patients at the hospital go hungry by a certain date. This was at the centenary launch of the hospital held at GNAT Hall, Accra last week.
The fear and apprehension that would engulf people are that being hungry, the patients would become wild and angry compelling the hospital authorities to discharge them. The repercussions thereof are that they would become a nuisance on the streets and at their homes.
Some advocacy and awareness organizations such MindFreedom Ghana were not too surprised about Dr. Osei’s speech, because this rather sad situation had been there for sometime now without the necessary action being taken to address it. Suffice it to say that the acting Chief Psychiatrist and BasicNeeds Ghana had on some occasions written in the newspapers especially ‘Daily Graphic,’ inter alia about the paucity cum delay of funds, insufficient medication and other logistics for the smooth running of the hospital. However these had largely been ignored or taken lightly.
It seems government and society in part do not care much about mental health issues in Ghana as they do to physical health. There have been many occasions when officialdom has praised Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Hospitals for doing very well in revenue generation for which reasons their operational needs are promptly provided.
It is pertinent to mention here that health as defined by the World Health Organization is the complete state of physical, mental and social well-being of a person and not the mere absence of diseases. It follows therefore that we need all these qualities to function normally as human beings.
It needs to be strongly stated that that physical health cannot be divorced from mental health. In fact there is a very thin line between the two where one can contract any form of mental illness precipitated by conditions such as stress, depression, maternal disorders, alcohol and drug abuses.
What we of MindFreedom have realised is - and that’s a time-tested assertion – most Ghanaians tend to believe or presuppose that anyone who has mental illness has offended the deities or was suffering punishment for some wrongful acts committed by one’s ancestors. Consequently such persons are dragged to shrines or spiritual camps apparently to exorcise the supposed demonic spirits. It is when their condition turns worse or nothing good comes out of the exorcism that the patients are later sent to the psychiatric hospitals. Interestingly both literates and illiterates are culpable of such bestial acts.
Because some mentally ill persons turn violent and uncontrollable, they are chained and dragged to the shrines and spiritual camps where they are placed on the scorching sun as part of the exorcism process. Since the chains are often tied to the patients’ legs or arms for the period they are at the shrines or spiritual camps for treatment, they sometimes cause tetanus and in some cases, gangrene which unfortunately can result in amputation of the affected leg or arm. In extreme cases death occurs when treatment is not sought early enough.
There are numerous cases of maltreatment of persons with metal disabilities within the communities that space would not allow to enumerate. A few instances that can be cited relates to stoning and throwing of harmful objects at such mentally ill persons, making mockery, jeering and calling of names. These are done by both adults and children. Another violation of the rights and dignity of such persons is engaging them in doing menial and tedious jobs for no pay whatsoever. All that they are given are some food leftovers which ought to be given to animals.
It can be intimated that government’s lack of attention or apparent consignment of mental health issues to the background have manifested themselves in a lot of human rights violations and deprivations of patients admitted at the psychiatric hospitals.
It is pathetic to mention that basic medications, equipments and other logistics are either not available or insufficient to ensure effective and smooth running of the hospitals
Instances abound at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital where patients do not get sufficient food and fruits, insufficient beds bringing about situations where some have to sleep on mats and on the bare floor.
Some patients also sleep under sheds in the open within their wards’ compound . They are thus exposed to the vagaries of the weather coupled with deadly mosquito bites they have to endure. Aside these woeful situations, there are the presence of pests such as rats, mice, ants, cockroaches scrambling with the patients for their insufficient food. It is a disturbing sight to see some patients move about stark naked, half naked or in tattered clothes.
There are a myriad of problems affecting the smooth running of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital which directly and indirectly violate the human rights and dignity of the patients on admission and outpatients. It can thus best be imagined what and how the situation would be like at Ankaful and Pantang Psychiatric Hospitals.
Concerning the statistics given by Dr. Osei on the steady rise of mental cases at the hospital, it is crystal clear that we have a problem on hand to grapple with. Particular note ought to be taken of the cases of females outnumbering that of males from January 2000 to December 2005.
One cannot be far from right in concluding that marital, anxiety and depression among other cases, have significantly accounted for the large number of female cases at the hospital. Of course it would not be surprising that these worrying situations pertain at Pantang and Ankaful Hospitals.
The foregoing instances of abuses and deprivations at Accra Psychiatric Hospital and certainly at the other two hospitals often taken for granted, are nonetheless grounded in deepening STIGMATIZATION of mental illness by consigns its helpless victims to social exclusion and neglect. And very unfortunately the stigma is stretched to the sympathetic carers of persons with mental disabilities, voluntary mental health based NGOs such as MindFreedom Ghana, BasicNeeds Ghana and Psycho(Mental) Health Foundation Int’l as well as the diligent mental health professionals who attend to such
unfortunate victims.
Coming back to the revealing statistics given by the acting Chief Psychiatrist, it is quite clear that a WHO report in 2001 is gradually coming into being. The report forecasts that within he lifetime of a society, 25 out of every 100 people are bound to suffer from one form of mental illness or the other. 10 out of 100 people stand to be victims of mental illness at any particular moment while 1 out of 10 is bound to suffer from severe mental illness. The latter case being those that one sees them loitering in the streets, perching at bus stops and other public places.
By the foregoing calculations in the WHO report, Ghana with a human population of almost 20,000,000 would have about 200,000 mentally ill patients on its hand to grapple with. This includes some 2,000 persons affected by severe mental illness.
As if not enough, it is disturbing and worse that the report’s projections seem to suggest that by 2020, mental illness will be second largest disease in the world with as many as 121 million people suffering from depression, anxiety and stress related problems with no assurance for effective treatment.
Very sad as it to relate, global response to this potentially catastrophic challenge is however is one of nonchalance and apathy. There is no doubt that this shows itself in many ways as Dr. Osei lamented together with instances of abuses and neglect outlined in this write-up.
We must identify what really is wrong with societal norms and values that had caused increases in mental cases at the hospitals. Definitely there are also many cases of some mentally ill persons who have been marooned at homes and secluded places by their relatives to avoid them being seen in public and considered as a disgrace to their families.
We do have a serious problem on our hands in Ghana considering that by WHO projections for 2020, we would have the number of mental cases even exceeding what WHO has given.
This point becomes very cogent in the light of the recent disclosures at the Justice Wood Committee and the fact being bandied about that Ghana has become transit point for narcotic substances.
There are many areas in Accra where people –young and old - overtly and covertly indulge in all sorts of narcotics especially marijuana and cocaine. Another dangerous dimension to this sort of narcotics is that these substances are put into alcoholic drinks like akpeteshie, gin, beer etc. and consumed. The after effects of such acts are anybody’s guess.
That the acting Chief Psychiatrist’s submissions have indicted us as a government and people is a fact no one can run away from. We have failed to address mental health issues in the same way as physical health have been duly treated.
Fortunately we still have the means and opportunity to redress the situation with October 10 being observed universally as World Mental Health Day. The theme for 2006 is “Building Awareness, Reducing Risks – Suicide And Mental Illness”. Expectation is that everyone will get actively involved when the programme of activities comes out.
It is sincerely believed that government will do as expected and address the numerous problems in the mental health delivery system in the country. Salaries and service conditions of personnel must be at looked at seriously to get them more committed to their work. This will dissuade them from leaving the work for other jobs.
Government must have a policy in place which ensures that a certain percentage of nurses and medical students in training are made to specialize in psychiatry and as an added impetus and incentive, give them special allowances.
As a people, we need to change our attitude towards persons with mental disabilities by associating ourselves with their plight and among others facilitating their treatment at the psychiatric hospitals and NOT shrines or spiritual camps. We also need to change some perceptions we have by stamping out the stigma attached to mental illness. Don’t forget every one of us is vulnerable to one form of mental illness or the other at any time!
In passing, it is strongly recommended that government must start the construction of a fourth psychiatric hospital at Sunyani or any suitable part within the Brong-Ahafo Region to cater for patients in the northern and middle parts of the country. It is just not proper and convenient bringing patients all the way from say Wa, Bolga, Paga, Tamale, Techiman and other remote areas to the southern part of Ghana where all the psychiatric hospitals are situated.
Finally government is being called upon to seriously consider putting up or establishing rehabilitation centres to cater for the cases of those with drug substance and alcohol abuse. Situations abound where such people are bundled into the psychiatric hospitals and where their conditions rather aggravate. Of course such centres could be conveniently used for other categories of patients who need them for their recuperation so that they don’t relapse.
Submitted By
Dan A. Taylor
Secretary
For And On behalf of
MindFreedom Ghana
P.O. Box CT3415
Cantonments-Accra
Ghana
Tel: +233 277 421 207
NB Please find attached some photos of patients of the female ward, which in picture 1 shows some patients sitting down in the naked state.
Picture 2 shows some patients of the male special ward sleeping on the bare floor and on mats provided.
The fear and apprehension that would engulf people are that being hungry, the patients would become wild and angry compelling the hospital authorities to discharge them. The repercussions thereof are that they would become a nuisance on the streets and at their homes.
Some advocacy and awareness organizations such MindFreedom Ghana were not too surprised about Dr. Osei’s speech, because this rather sad situation had been there for sometime now without the necessary action being taken to address it. Suffice it to say that the acting Chief Psychiatrist and BasicNeeds Ghana had on some occasions written in the newspapers especially ‘Daily Graphic,’ inter alia about the paucity cum delay of funds, insufficient medication and other logistics for the smooth running of the hospital. However these had largely been ignored or taken lightly.
It seems government and society in part do not care much about mental health issues in Ghana as they do to physical health. There have been many occasions when officialdom has praised Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Hospitals for doing very well in revenue generation for which reasons their operational needs are promptly provided.
It is pertinent to mention here that health as defined by the World Health Organization is the complete state of physical, mental and social well-being of a person and not the mere absence of diseases. It follows therefore that we need all these qualities to function normally as human beings.
It needs to be strongly stated that that physical health cannot be divorced from mental health. In fact there is a very thin line between the two where one can contract any form of mental illness precipitated by conditions such as stress, depression, maternal disorders, alcohol and drug abuses.
What we of MindFreedom have realised is - and that’s a time-tested assertion – most Ghanaians tend to believe or presuppose that anyone who has mental illness has offended the deities or was suffering punishment for some wrongful acts committed by one’s ancestors. Consequently such persons are dragged to shrines or spiritual camps apparently to exorcise the supposed demonic spirits. It is when their condition turns worse or nothing good comes out of the exorcism that the patients are later sent to the psychiatric hospitals. Interestingly both literates and illiterates are culpable of such bestial acts.
Because some mentally ill persons turn violent and uncontrollable, they are chained and dragged to the shrines and spiritual camps where they are placed on the scorching sun as part of the exorcism process. Since the chains are often tied to the patients’ legs or arms for the period they are at the shrines or spiritual camps for treatment, they sometimes cause tetanus and in some cases, gangrene which unfortunately can result in amputation of the affected leg or arm. In extreme cases death occurs when treatment is not sought early enough.
There are numerous cases of maltreatment of persons with metal disabilities within the communities that space would not allow to enumerate. A few instances that can be cited relates to stoning and throwing of harmful objects at such mentally ill persons, making mockery, jeering and calling of names. These are done by both adults and children. Another violation of the rights and dignity of such persons is engaging them in doing menial and tedious jobs for no pay whatsoever. All that they are given are some food leftovers which ought to be given to animals.
It can be intimated that government’s lack of attention or apparent consignment of mental health issues to the background have manifested themselves in a lot of human rights violations and deprivations of patients admitted at the psychiatric hospitals.
It is pathetic to mention that basic medications, equipments and other logistics are either not available or insufficient to ensure effective and smooth running of the hospitals
Instances abound at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital where patients do not get sufficient food and fruits, insufficient beds bringing about situations where some have to sleep on mats and on the bare floor.
Some patients also sleep under sheds in the open within their wards’ compound . They are thus exposed to the vagaries of the weather coupled with deadly mosquito bites they have to endure. Aside these woeful situations, there are the presence of pests such as rats, mice, ants, cockroaches scrambling with the patients for their insufficient food. It is a disturbing sight to see some patients move about stark naked, half naked or in tattered clothes.
There are a myriad of problems affecting the smooth running of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital which directly and indirectly violate the human rights and dignity of the patients on admission and outpatients. It can thus best be imagined what and how the situation would be like at Ankaful and Pantang Psychiatric Hospitals.
Concerning the statistics given by Dr. Osei on the steady rise of mental cases at the hospital, it is crystal clear that we have a problem on hand to grapple with. Particular note ought to be taken of the cases of females outnumbering that of males from January 2000 to December 2005.
One cannot be far from right in concluding that marital, anxiety and depression among other cases, have significantly accounted for the large number of female cases at the hospital. Of course it would not be surprising that these worrying situations pertain at Pantang and Ankaful Hospitals.
The foregoing instances of abuses and deprivations at Accra Psychiatric Hospital and certainly at the other two hospitals often taken for granted, are nonetheless grounded in deepening STIGMATIZATION of mental illness by consigns its helpless victims to social exclusion and neglect. And very unfortunately the stigma is stretched to the sympathetic carers of persons with mental disabilities, voluntary mental health based NGOs such as MindFreedom Ghana, BasicNeeds Ghana and Psycho(Mental) Health Foundation Int’l as well as the diligent mental health professionals who attend to such
unfortunate victims.
Coming back to the revealing statistics given by the acting Chief Psychiatrist, it is quite clear that a WHO report in 2001 is gradually coming into being. The report forecasts that within he lifetime of a society, 25 out of every 100 people are bound to suffer from one form of mental illness or the other. 10 out of 100 people stand to be victims of mental illness at any particular moment while 1 out of 10 is bound to suffer from severe mental illness. The latter case being those that one sees them loitering in the streets, perching at bus stops and other public places.
By the foregoing calculations in the WHO report, Ghana with a human population of almost 20,000,000 would have about 200,000 mentally ill patients on its hand to grapple with. This includes some 2,000 persons affected by severe mental illness.
As if not enough, it is disturbing and worse that the report’s projections seem to suggest that by 2020, mental illness will be second largest disease in the world with as many as 121 million people suffering from depression, anxiety and stress related problems with no assurance for effective treatment.
Very sad as it to relate, global response to this potentially catastrophic challenge is however is one of nonchalance and apathy. There is no doubt that this shows itself in many ways as Dr. Osei lamented together with instances of abuses and neglect outlined in this write-up.
We must identify what really is wrong with societal norms and values that had caused increases in mental cases at the hospitals. Definitely there are also many cases of some mentally ill persons who have been marooned at homes and secluded places by their relatives to avoid them being seen in public and considered as a disgrace to their families.
We do have a serious problem on our hands in Ghana considering that by WHO projections for 2020, we would have the number of mental cases even exceeding what WHO has given.
This point becomes very cogent in the light of the recent disclosures at the Justice Wood Committee and the fact being bandied about that Ghana has become transit point for narcotic substances.
There are many areas in Accra where people –young and old - overtly and covertly indulge in all sorts of narcotics especially marijuana and cocaine. Another dangerous dimension to this sort of narcotics is that these substances are put into alcoholic drinks like akpeteshie, gin, beer etc. and consumed. The after effects of such acts are anybody’s guess.
That the acting Chief Psychiatrist’s submissions have indicted us as a government and people is a fact no one can run away from. We have failed to address mental health issues in the same way as physical health have been duly treated.
Fortunately we still have the means and opportunity to redress the situation with October 10 being observed universally as World Mental Health Day. The theme for 2006 is “Building Awareness, Reducing Risks – Suicide And Mental Illness”. Expectation is that everyone will get actively involved when the programme of activities comes out.
It is sincerely believed that government will do as expected and address the numerous problems in the mental health delivery system in the country. Salaries and service conditions of personnel must be at looked at seriously to get them more committed to their work. This will dissuade them from leaving the work for other jobs.
Government must have a policy in place which ensures that a certain percentage of nurses and medical students in training are made to specialize in psychiatry and as an added impetus and incentive, give them special allowances.
As a people, we need to change our attitude towards persons with mental disabilities by associating ourselves with their plight and among others facilitating their treatment at the psychiatric hospitals and NOT shrines or spiritual camps. We also need to change some perceptions we have by stamping out the stigma attached to mental illness. Don’t forget every one of us is vulnerable to one form of mental illness or the other at any time!
In passing, it is strongly recommended that government must start the construction of a fourth psychiatric hospital at Sunyani or any suitable part within the Brong-Ahafo Region to cater for patients in the northern and middle parts of the country. It is just not proper and convenient bringing patients all the way from say Wa, Bolga, Paga, Tamale, Techiman and other remote areas to the southern part of Ghana where all the psychiatric hospitals are situated.
Finally government is being called upon to seriously consider putting up or establishing rehabilitation centres to cater for the cases of those with drug substance and alcohol abuse. Situations abound where such people are bundled into the psychiatric hospitals and where their conditions rather aggravate. Of course such centres could be conveniently used for other categories of patients who need them for their recuperation so that they don’t relapse.
Submitted By
Dan A. Taylor
Secretary
For And On behalf of
MindFreedom Ghana
P.O. Box CT3415
Cantonments-Accra
Ghana
Tel: +233 277 421 207
NB Please find attached some photos of patients of the female ward, which in picture 1 shows some patients sitting down in the naked state.
Picture 2 shows some patients of the male special ward sleeping on the bare floor and on mats provided.
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
