Editorial
We must get mental patients off the streets
On August 4, 2022, the Ghanaian Times reported that over 16,000 mentally challenged patients roamed the streets of Ghana resulting in attacks and assaults by mental patients on innocent people.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Mental Health Authority, Professor Akwasi Osei attributed this to the lack of funds to remove the mental patients off the streets hence their presence on the streets leading to the increasing number of attacks on innocent citizens.
According to him, “the mentally challenged are to be confined to the psychiatric hospitals for treatment but the lack of funds is making it difficult to get rid of them off the streets” and appealed to the government to provide funding for the removal of these patients from the streets to prevent further incidents.
It is so scary and disturbing to see mental patients roaming the streets, especially in the cites, with some naked and others carrying dangerous weapons and threatening people nearby.
Some mental patients have even butchered or murdered children and adults causing loss and unforgettable pain to families but sadly they (the mental patients) rather walk freely on posing further danger to the citizenry.
There have been reports where some mentally deranged persons have even raped women going about their daily activities at knife point.
Although mental illness can occur as a result of life’s challenges such as marital, excessive abuse of drugs or alcohol among others, in some families it is genetic and one needs to be careful of how the mentally ill are treated.
The Spectator is happy about the call for support to mental patients which is a step in the right direction and the earlier we get rid of the mentally challenged people from our streets the better it will be for the citizenry to move about without fear or panic
We are all at risk of these attacks, therefore, the government must make mental health a priority in its agenda by providing adequate funds to deal with the situation for the safety of all.
Reports from the Chief Psychiatrist say that seven years ago, some funding was made available “from which mental patients were taken off the streets gradually back to the psychiatric hospitals, treated free of charge and reintegrated into the communities with their relations but ever since the funding ran out, this is the situation we have found ourselves.”
We are surprised that this noble agenda was stopped; we appeal to the government through the Ministry of Health (MoH) to find a lasting solution to the problem of mental patients posing insecurity to the rest of the citizenry.
The Spectator joins Prof Osei in his advocacy for “the government to establish a Mental Health Fund (MHF) through the introduction of at least GH¢0.50 levy charged on the monthly salary of all workers of the formal sector” which would substantially be enough to cater for mental health treatment for the country.
It is equally important for family members not to neglect their relatives who are mentally deranged as this could cause a relapse but to support and give them the needed love and care to make them stable.
Authorities must ensure that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHS) which was supposed to have covered mental patients’ treatment is implemented to enable relatives of the mentally deranged take them to the hospital for treatment so they do not end up on the streets.
The government must also supply the psychiatric hospitals with the needed logistics such as adequate drugs for both inmates and out-patients and build more health institutions across the country to accommodate the mentally deranged who are on the streets.
Additionally, the government should improve conditions of health practitioners so they will deliver their services promptly.
As a country, there is the need to give much attention to mental health which is a shared responsibility in order to get rid of mental patients off the streets.
Dear Editor,
It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. However, this saying becomes worrying when the health of citizens is threatened by the conditions under which the food they consume daily is sold.
In Ghana, the conditions under which food is sold is quite disturbing. Over the years, I have observed that the environments where food is prepared and sold are often unhygienic.
In many cases, containers holding food such as rice and waakye are left uncovered or not properly covered, exposing them to contamination.
While many Ghanaians paid little attention in the past to the conditions under which food was sold, the narrative seems to be changing in recent years.
I recall an incident during my days in Senior High School (S.H.S.) when my friends and I went out to buy food. At one location, some of us chose not to buy because we assumed the food would be expensive due to how neat the place looked.
Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing food from a different place that was somewhat unhygienic. We overlooked the poor conditions because we believed the quantity offered was better than at the cleaner location.
However, I am certain that my friends and I would not repeat such a mistake today, as we now understand the health implications of that decision.
While public education is important in addressing this issue, I believe it is time for regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), to crack the whip on food sellers and vendors who operate in unhygienic environments and conditions.
As citizens, we must also be mindful of where we buy our food to protect ourselves and our families from diseases and illnesses. We should choose ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’ and prioritize our health.
From Syram
Oyarifa
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern and call for improved security measures before and after every football match.
The recent robbery attack that led to the tragic death of a player, on their return from a Match day 29 game against Samartex, is both shocking and heartbreaking.
The incident, which reportedly occurred around 10:30 p.m., highlights the growing risks faced by players and team officials while traveling.
Football is meant to unite and entertain, not to expose lives to danger. It is therefore imperative that authorities, the Ghana Football Association, and security agencies put in place adequate protection for teams, especially during late-night travels.
I strongly urge all stakeholders to treat this matter with urgency to prevent such unfortunate incidents from recurring.
From Eugene Ampiaw
Accra
