The Western Regional Mental Health Subcommittee of the Ghana Health Service is undertaking a head count of mentally challenged persons in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.
The move is to help them ascertain the number of such persons on the streets in Sekondi-Takoradi and its surrounding areas.
According to the committee, the exercise will also help shape mental health service in the region.
Speaking to Citi News, the Western Regional Mental Health Coordinator, Charles Kwame Vigbedor, noted that “we want to know how many of us are on the streets. We want to track the trend. And we want the numbers to help us in planning support services for them.”
“The data collected will become formal regional and national data source for funding variety of grants and mental health programmes,” he added.
A Community Mental Health Officer with the Takoradi Government Hospital, Joyce Biney, who was part of the team ascertaining the homelessness situation in the region, said “the condition with our relatives on the streets requires commitment and resources to deal with. Knowing the numbers is the first step which will help us in our resolve and commitment to give them the best of care they need.”
The Western Region Mental Health Sub-Committee was launched last year to among other things provide medical and other support services for persons with mental health challenges in the region.
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Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana