The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Pinaman Apau, has sought to dispel the longstanding superstition and stigma surrounding mental illness in Ghana.
She emphasised that mental illness is not a curse or affliction from the supernatural but a legitimate medical condition that deserves empathy and medical attention.
Speaking through Dr. Daniel Agyei at the Mental Health Forum 2025, Dr. Apau stated:”Mental illness is not a curse. It is not a weakness or moral failure. It is not a punishment from higher powers. It is a medical condition, just like malaria, hypertension, or diabetes, and it deserves all the attention we can give it. It should be treated with urgency, dignity, and respect.”
Stigma keeps millions from seeking help
She revealed that although an estimated two million Ghanaians are living with mental health conditions, only a fraction are currently receiving care due to widespread stigma.
“This situation is destroying lives and fracturing families. It is holding back the progress we seek as a nation,” she lamented.
Mental health care must be accessible, not a luxury
Dr. Apau called for a shift in public policy to ensure that mental health care becomes widely accessible across the country.
“It shouldn’t be a luxury for the privileged few,” she said, urging for increased investment to train more professionals and expand services, especially in remote areas.
She also advocated for the establishment of a dedicated funding source to sustainably support mental health services in Ghana.
Proposal for mental health fund from COVID Levy
This call for sustainable funding was echoed by Dr. Eyram Awusanya during a panel discussion on “Building Healthy Workspaces.”
Dr. Awusanya suggested that instead of scrapping the existing 1% COVID-19 Health Levy, the government could convert it into a Mental Health Fund to cater to the growing needs of individuals with mental health conditions.
Living with ADHD in a misunderstood world
Founder of the Premier Rehabilitation Centre and Convener of the Mental Health Forum 2025, Jahara Osman, shared her powerful personal story of living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
She recounted being misunderstood as a “difficult child,” having internalized the effects of undiagnosed ADHD for many years.
“This disorder for me was internalized, so I experienced the chaos in my brain,” she explained.
“For a long time, I thought the chaos in my brain was normal. I only realized how calm the world could be after receiving my first dose of treatment. That is when I knew I had been surviving, not living.”
Acceptance, treatment, and advocacy
Jahara admitted she initially rejected her ADHD diagnosis, having managed to function relatively well despite the internal turmoil. However, her experience with treatment changed her perspective entirely.
She stressed that, “denial does not take the condition away. Age does not take the condition away. Sometimes, a little micro-dosing can make the condition better.”
Her testimony reinforced the forum’s central message: mental illness is real, treatable, and should never be shrouded in fear, denial, or superstition.
By Selorm Gborbidzi
