Forty-two health facilities in 14 districts across six regions have received various items to improve counseling, mental health and psychosocial support services for vulnerable women and girls. The items, donated by BasicNeeds-Ghana, include sets of furniture, ceiling fans, air conditioners, and other health equipment. These facilities, comprising 14 district hospitals and 28 sub-district and community health facilities, are located in the Tamale, Gushegu, West Mamprugu, Talensi, Bolgatanga, Daffiama-Busei-Issah, Lawra, West Gonja, Central Gonja, Sunyani, Sunyani East, Ashaiman and Ga West areas.
The donation is part of BasicNeeds-Ghana's project to strengthen community health systems by integrating HIV/TB, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health and psychosocial support services for vulnerable women and girls. Dr Peter Badimak Yaro, Executive Director of BasicNeeds-Ghana, said the intervention was in response to gaps identified in mental health support for women and girls of reproductive age. Mental health challenges can negatively affect sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health outcomes.
A total of 1,304 healthcare workers, including 782 females, have been trained to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into antenatal and postnatal care and HIV/TB treatment. The training aims to equip healthcare workers with the necessary skills to provide mental health and psychosocial support services to vulnerable women and girls. So far, 17,799 pregnant women, adolescent girls and newly delivered mothers have been screened, with 7,261 identified as requiring brief psychosocial interventions.
BasicNeeds-Ghana and its partners have also undertaken health facility and community-level awareness activities on perinatal mental health and HIV/TB voluntary testing, as well as "know your status" campaigns. These activities aim to raise awareness about mental health and HIV/TB among vulnerable women and girls. The project complements efforts of the Ghana Health Service to ensure that women experiencing mental health challenges receive appropriate support as part of healthcare delivery.
Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, commended BasicNeeds-Ghana for the intervention, saying it was critical to improving health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women. He urged the beneficiary facilities to promptly deploy and properly maintain the items to ensure that they served their intended purposes. The Ghana Health Service recognizes the need to incorporate mental health and psychosocial support into HIV/TB treatment and will work towards making that an integral part of service delivery.
Mr Ali Adolf John, Northern Regional Minister, said the intervention would help provide safe, confidential and respectful spaces for women, adolescents and other vulnerable persons seeking health and psychosocial support. He urged the beneficiary facilities to take good care of the items and ensure that they were used for their intended purposes. The donation is expected to improve the quality of care provided to vulnerable women and girls in the beneficiary districts.
Dr Eugene Dordoye, Acting Chief Executive of the Ghana Mental Health Authority, stressed the need to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into healthcare delivery at the community level. He said frontline health workers and community actors must also be equipped to identify mental health concerns early, provide appropriate support and facilitate referrals. The project is expected to contribute to improved mental health and psychosocial support services for vulnerable women and girls in Ghana.
Key points
- BasicNeeds-Ghana donates items to 42 health facilities to improve counseling, mental health and psychosocial support services for vulnerable women and girls.
- 1,304 healthcare workers have been trained to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into antenatal and postnatal care and HIV/TB treatment.
- 17,799 pregnant women, adolescent girls and newly delivered mothers have been screened, with 7,261 identified as requiring brief psychosocial interventions.
