The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority (MHA), Dr Akwasi Osei, has said that the number of mentally challenged individuals roaming the streets of the country is estimated at 10,000 people.

According to Dr Akwasi Osei, who revealed the staggering figure in an interview with The Independent Ghana, the Mental Health Authority despite being in the known, is unable to admit these individuals due to lack of funds.

He bemoaned the inadequate amount provided to the Authority by the state since the passing of the Mental Health Act (846 of 2012).

“The reason we have not gotten to where we want is because 10 years after the Mental Health Act 2012, Act 846, is the fact that we don't have the money to support it. I mentioned people being on the streets naked, half-dressed, dirty and unkempt. If we had the funding, by now we would have taken them all from the street and brought them to the hospital for treatment, given them some training and taken them back to their community,” he said.

He added that “now, I'm sure that if you count, you will be hitting about 10,000.”

Dr Akwasi Osei noted that some 8 years ago, the Mental Health Authority established in accordance with the Mental Health Act 2012, Act 846, managed to admit 606 mentally challenged people on the streets across the country without financial assistance from the government.

“About 7 or 8 years ago, we decided to do that. On our own, without extra funding from the government, we were able to take 606 patients from all over the country. Around that time, we did a rapid assessment and we saw that there were over 6000 patients on the streets and cities,” he said.

For Dr Akwasi Osei, it is important that the government sees to the admission of such persons by providing funds since “one of them might have the solution to our economic problems.”

People suffering from severe mental illnesses are admitted to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Ankaful Hospital and Pantang Hospital.

Per the Mental Health Act, the Mental Health Authority mandated to propose, promote and implement mental health policies, as well as provide culturally appropriate, humane and integrated mental health care throughout Ghana operates with the Mental Health Fund.

The Fund generates revenue through voluntary contributions from individuals, organisations and the private sector; monies approved by Parliament, grants from bilateral and multilateral sources; donations and gifts; and any other sources approved by the Minister responsible for Finance.

According to Dr Akwasi, since the approval of the Mental Health Act, the government (Ministry of Finance) has been unable to pass the Mental Health Levy to enable the Mental Health Authority generate enough revenue.

He proposed that 50 pesewas should be taken from the salaries of workers during the implementation of the Mental Health Levy, as such amount would not have a huge impact on the net salary workers receive.

Bemoaning the amount received so far, the Chief Executive Officer said “the money that the Ministry gives to us now is about half or one-third of the whole money the Ministry requires. The levy has to be established by the Ministry of Finance and not Parliament. We approached Parliamentarians and they said we had done our part, that is to pass the law which says the levy should be established. The rest is for the Ministry of Finance.”

“This is a levy with the difference.It could be such that you would not feel it much. Everybody as you go about your normal duty, supposing we said 50 pesewas out of everybody's salary, no matter how low your salary is, 50 pesewas won't make much difference,” he continued.

Assessing other alternatives, Dr Akwasi Osei stated that the government could also establish a levy where it could take 0.5% from the revenue generated from existing levies such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), Electronic Transaction Levy, also known as E-levy, among others.

“The reality is that we  need that tax. The point is that it does not look like a time will come when the government will have enough money to give to mental healthcare,” he emphasised.

Source: The Independent Ghana