News
Ghana Youth Mental Health Survey begins October 9
In Ghana, the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2020 estimated that about nine per cent of the population had some form of mental health issue, largely behavioural health-related especially among the youth.
Also, in 2022, a survey of Junior High School (JHS) students in the Greater Accra Region, (on suicide risk prevalence of JHS students in Greater Accra) revealed that one out of five students has experienced suicide ideation in the last 12 months.
There is therefore a critical need for comprehensive research on the mental health of Ghanaian adolescents to inform effective interventions and policies.
Consequently, starting October 9, the Ghana Youth Mental Health Survey (GYMHS), would be conducted across some regions of the country, to ascertain the mental health of Ghanaian adolescents and recommend solutions.
Led by US-based Ghanaian Assistant Professor at the University of Buffalo, New York, Dr Enoch Azasu, the study would be conducted in the Greater Accra, Volta, Eastern, Ashanti, Central and some Northern regions.
It will end on Friday, October 18 in the Ashanti Region.
According to Prof. Azasu, it was crucial to engage in this survey in order to support the mental well-being of the Ghanaian youth.
With support from the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, University of Ghana Department of Psychiatry, Youth Awake to Mental Health Ghana and Central University, the GYMHS, he explained, would be a nationally representative study designed to comprehensively understand the mental health status, risk factors, protective factors and the resource utilisation among JHS students in Ghana.
The survey, he added, would fall on the back of the 2022 study which found several socio-ecological and psychological correlations for suicide thoughts and behaviour which included suicide stigma, sexual intercourse, dating, hunger, substance use, stress, anxiety and depression.
He said, it was also essential to make the subject of mental health very common within society in order to nip the canker in the bud.
The survey he said, would highlight the gaps in mental health support systems and identify effective strategies for improving access to mental health resources in schools and communities.
He called on all stakeholders especially within the education sector to support the survey which would go a long way to safeguard the future of the Ghanaian youth.
“By supporting the GYMHS, schools can help gather valuable data that will provide a clearer understanding of mental health challenges faced by students. This survey will not only inform policy and intervention strategies but also ensure that the voices of young people are heard,” he stated.
By Michael D. Abayateye
News
Steps underway to repeal L.I 2462 – Prez assures
President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that steps are underway to repeal Legislative Instrument 2462 as part of efforts to protect the country’s forests and water bodies.
During his media encounter at the Jubilee House, the president explained that the repeal will formalise the ban on mining in forest reserves and strengthen enforcement against illegal mining.
He stressed that his administration is committed to safeguarding the environment, reclaiming degraded reserves, and deploying more personnel to protect river bodies across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
9 forest reserves recovered from illegal mining – President Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has announced the recovery of nine forest reserves from illegal mining under his government’s intensified environmental protection drive.
Addressing journalists at the Jubilee House, the president explained that hundreds of excavators, water pumps and other equipment have been seized as part of the operation, while degraded areas are being reclaimed and restored.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to end mining in protected areas, deploy more personnel to safeguard river bodies and strengthen laws to secure Ghana’s natural resources for future generations.
This notwithstanding, President Mahama revealed that two of the retrieved forest reserves had gone back into the hands of illegal miners, however, adequate measures have been put in place to reclaim them.
By: Jacob Aggrey
