Experts are advocating for mental health screenings to be prioritised as part of Ghanaian’s effort to improve their health conditions.

Clinical Psychologist, Ananya Choudhuri believes this is as important as regular medical check-ups.

“Just as our physical health is something we are mindful about and we get regular check-ups it is very essential that we do a mental health screening to know where we stand emotionally because our mental health and physical health is very important,” she said on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

She said this at a 2-day free mental health screening programme organised by Equilinks Psychological and Counselling Service as part of Mental Health Awareness Month.

The event was to educate the public about the importance of mental health screenings in addition to physical examinations.

Madam Choudhuri emphasised that bad mental health could also lead to negative interactions among individuals thus public education is significant.

She added that “mental health is basically a complex phenomenon…If your mental health is not in place you’ll not be able to interact well with your friends and family or relatives. Lots of people get affected”

A participant, Godwin said "To me it’s very nice because initially, I didn’t know we had to check our mental health, today I got to know that it’s very important to report your emotions or how you feel to a professional to seek help. So I think it’s a very nice program “

Another participant added that "This mental health screening has taught me a lot. It comes with anxiety, stress and depression... even if you can’t sleep well, you have a mental health issue. Coming here has made me know all these.

This year's edition of the Mental Health Awareness Month dubbed 'Purple Month' is to amplify and sustain a collective voice to advocate mental wellness across the country.