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Psychological distress rises among teenage girls
The Mental Health Authority of Ghana has recorded rising psychological distress cases among teenage girls in the country.
The rise, according to the authority, is linked to academic pressure, family issues, gender-based violence, and isolation.
This was disclosed by Victoria Naema Abdulai, the founder of the One Project Africa Foundation (OPAF), a non-profit organisation focused on empowering women and girls.
Ms Abdulai said this at a mental health awareness session organised by the foundation for students of the Accra Girls Senior High School in Accra.
It was held under the theme “Empowering Her Mind, Voice and Power: Fostering a Resilient Tomorrow for the Girl Child through Mental Wellness,” which was aimed at building self-awareness, promote emotional healing, and encourage resilience among young girls.
She stated that mental health was not a luxury but the foundation on which every girl’s future should be built
Ms Abdulai said despite the rising need, mental health remains one of the most misunderstood and neglected issues in our society.
She said without mental wellness, young girls will continue to struggle silently with learning, dreaming, and relating to others, warning that the lack of attention to girls’ mental health is costing society their potential.
She urged students to embrace their emotions and seek help when struggling. “You are not weak for having emotions. You are human. Seeking help does not make you a failure, it makes you courageous.”
Touching on what the foundation does, Ms Abdulai said the foundation teaches girls how to pass exams but not how to process pain, obey instructions but not how to handle rejection. We are obsessed with excellence but ignore the exhaustion.”
A Mental health practitioner and addiction specialist, Esther Kyewaah Opoku, on her part stated that mental health was not separate from general well-being but central to it. “Without your mental health, you are not healthy,” she said.
She mentioned that adolescence is a fragile period, with the brain still developing until age 25.
She disclosed that one in seven adolescent girls in Ghana has a mental disorder, with 26 per cent experiencing depression, 29.8 per cent emotional distress, and 14.8 per cent suffer trauma or behavioural issues.
She also blamed these conditions on peer pressure, bullying, sexual abuse, and toxic comparisons driven by social media. “We are sitting on a time bomb,” she said, urging early intervention and compassion.
According to her, adolescence is a critical stage of mental and emotional development, during which the executive brain, or forebrain, continues to form until age 25.
“This period is filled with vulnerabilities that, if unmanaged, can lead to lifelong challenges,” she said.
Ms Opoku therefore called for compassion, peer support, and continuous education on mental health to break the cycle of silence and stigma, particularly among young girls, saying “nobody should feel alone or hopeless.”
By Stephanie Birikorang
News
Prioritise affordable treatment of sickle cell treatment —Health Expert
Health experts have urged Ghana to prioritise affordable and accessible treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) as advanced, but costly curative therapies remain out of reach.
SCD, an inherited blood disorder, affects about three in every 100 newborns in Ghana.
Globally, around 1,000 babies are born with the condition daily, with three-quarters in sub-Saharan Africa.
The disease causes severe complications including chronic pain, anaemia, infections, strokes and organ damage, often leading to shortened life expectancy.
In recent years, gene therapy has been developed as a potential cure.
However, its cost—running into millions of dollars per patient—makes it financially and technically inaccessible in Ghana.
According to Dr Lawrence Osei-Tutu, a Sickle Cell and Childhood Cancer Expert at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, “the country must instead focus on practical, lower-cost interventions such as hydroxyurea”, a decades-old cancer drug proven to reduce painful episodes, hospitalisation and life- threatening complications in SCD patients”.
Taken orally, the medicine improves red blood cell function and is considered safe and effective.
“Hydroxyurea therapy is as good as the cure and a low-hanging fruit to pluck, we must bring a cure to our sickle cell warriors, but do so sustainably.” he urged.
In a chat with The Spectator here, he said to create awareness on the disease, the expert noted that despite its benefits, “hydroxyurea is not widely accessible in Ghana.”
Stressing that, “many patients either cannot afford it or struggle with irregular supply through the health system.”
Moreover, he argued that scaling up access would provide immediate relief while the country builds the infrastructure, trains specialists and secures funding needed to support curative therapies in the future.
With an estimated 15,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in Ghana, Dr Osei Tutu cautioned that “failure to improve access to effective treatment will leave many patients vulnerable to preventable complications and early death.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Let’s reintroduce Cultural Studies to complement educational reforms — Tourism Minister
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has emphasised the importance of reintroducing Cultural Studies in schools as part of Ghana’s broader educational reform agenda.
She said Cultural Studies would complement existing efforts to reposition Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to promote digital literacy and expand Creative Arts education.
Speaking at the 2025 Homowo Festival of the people of Ningo-Prampram, held on the theme: “Education: The Best Legacy for our Children,” Madam Gomashie said cultural education was critical to national identity and development.
She noted that the festival’s theme aligned with the Government’s vision to transform education in Ghana and encouraged the youth to embrace it not only as a means of personal development but also as a way of preserving traditional values.
These values, including patience, wisdom, and hard work, were at the core of the Homowo celebration, the Minister said.
“Cultural festivals like Homowo are vital instruments for strengthening cultural identity, preserving historical memory, and fostering national unity. Additionally, festivals serve as platforms for educating the youth through storytelling, music, dance, and other traditional practices, while also providing opportunities for community engagement.”
Madam Gomashie highlighted the strong foundation that Ghana’s tourism was built on, which included culture, traditions, and the creative industry, collectively contributing to over GH¢4.8 billion to the economy.
“Festivals give tourists reasons to visit our country. Therefore, with the right infrastructure and the development of all the domains, the sector can do more than what has been recorded,” she added.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, commended the community for their vibrant participation in the festival. He announced plans for the construction of a new nursing training school in Ningo, aimed at expanding access to healthcare education in the area.
Nene Osroagbo Djangmah XII, Paramount Chief of Great Ningo Traditional Area; King Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse; Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Paramount Chief of the Prampram Traditional Area; Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area; Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, Paramount Queen Mother of Great Ningo; and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Special Envoy on Religion and Inter-Faith Affairs, who represented the Chief of Staff, were among dignitaries at the festival. -GNA
