Let’s take mental health issues serious – Dr Akwasi Osei

pulse-ghana admin 14:10 - 02 April 2017

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He decried the practice whereby issues concerning mental health became priority for only a short period and then the cycle of negligence took shape all over again.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr Akwasi Osei, has blamed the recent string of suicides throughout the country on failures within mental health administration.

Dr Osei made this known at a seminar organised by the Valley View University-Techiman campus in the Brong Ahafo Region.

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“One of the topical issues in the country has to do with suicide and of those who have killed themselves; many have experienced depression, bipolar disorder or other forms of mental illness. For every person who dies from suicide, it is thought that at least another 10 people attempted to take their lives but failed. And once someone attempts and fail, he or she has another opportunity to try it again some other time”, he said.

He added that people discharged from the psychiatric care were more vulnerable to suicide

“For people with mental illness, the distress caused by the illness can be so great they may feel an overwhelming desire to end their life. Also, people recently discharged from psychiatric care are at higher risk of suicide”.

Last month, the Mental Health Authority established a temporary helpline aimed at suicide prevention in the country.

The announcement follows a string of suicides in the last month. As many as six suspected suicides have been reported in the last month alone.

The helpline for suicide prevention is 020-681-4666.