Minister of Employment and Social Welfare Enoch Teye Mensah says his ministry will collaborate with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to pass the Mental Health Bill. He made this known at a four-day West African Conference of Mental Health Service Users Association in Accra, on the theme: "Increasing the Role of Service Users in Community Mental Health." The association is dedicated to users of mental health services to increase networking and strengthening the course of people with mental illnesses through advocacy. It was organized by Basic Needs, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to transforming the lives of people with mental illness. The conference was sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and CBM International, another NGO in Mental health. Mr Mensah noted that due to stigmatization, most people could not access mental care. Chief Psychiatrist of MOH Akwasi Osei expressed satisfaction about efforts by the two ministries to pass the bill, calling for a push of the legal framework to make life meaningful to users of mental health services. “I am looking forward to the day when users would determine what they need and not the other way round. The days of superstition are over, and we are in the era of medicine discovery which enable users to live normally," he said. Dr Osei noted that the role of the community should not be underestimated. He advocated for strong user groups to fight their cause and demand what is rightly theirs. In a speech read on his behalf, Dr Daniel Kertesz, WHO Representative in Ghana, said mental health programmes should be treated beyond curative health care. He stressed the need for people with mental problems to be insulated from stigma, given psychological support, rehabilitation and prevention from harm from alcohol and substance abuse. CBM International West Africa Adviser on Mental Health Julian Eaton advocated for strong mental movements in Africa. "We have some good, strong examples of great success in this area (Uganda and South Africa) with Ghana leading the way for West Africa, while those in Nigeria look forward to learning from their experience. "We need to make a movement that has its own authentic voice, which is able to get a clear understanding of what is wanted by ordinary service users, and then to communicate that powerfully to those who make decisions," he added. Mr Peter Yaro, Programme Manager of Basic Needs (MEHSOG) said the Mental Health Society of Ghana was established to represent and foster a broad based movement of people to mobilize and to make their voices heard in addressing their needs and concerns. He expressed the hope that learning and sharing at the conference would increase co-operation, not competition; reduce personal egos that sometimes tend to affect people's movement for the good of the many. Mr Yaro pledged the commitment of management of Basic Needs to work to assist the more than 17,400 people with mental illness or epilepsy, out of which 10,730 are members of MEHSOG. Source: GNA