Child and Adolescent Mental Health Specialist at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Peggy Asiedu Ekremet, has revealed that more than 90% of Ghanaians with mental health conditions are refusing to seek treatment.

According to her, some of these affected individuals are seeking other treatment methods such as resorting to prayer camps.

Dr. Peggy Ekremet disclosed this during a discussion on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning about adolescent mental health.

"The number that goes for treatment is not the best. We know that the treatment gap in Ghana is over 90%. So, over 90% of people in Ghana are not getting treatment for their mental health conditions because they’re not coming or they’ve been sent to prayer camps and other things," she told Asieduwaa Akumia on Tuesday.

https://youtu.be/48rT23qu5rM

According to the mental health specialist, per data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) everyone, including children and adolescents, has a recognisable and treatable mental health condition.

However, the conditions are gradually increasing because most people are not reporting at health centres, making it difficult to be identified and treated.

Due to the failure to report, children with such a condition, according to Dr. Peggy Ekremet, are mostly affected because of their inability to speak for themselves.

Responding to the question of how kids can be mentally affected, she said it can be caused by how they are treated by their parents or the activities they see at home, especially when parents are mostly involved in arguments.

"…You may think that children don’t see, but they see everything. You may fight, and when they see your facial expression, they pick them up."

As a result, the mental health expert has urged parents not to underestimate their offspring and also to avoid having arguments in their presence.

However, Dr. Peggy Ekremet noted that the medication for children living with mental health conditions is not lifelong. She said it is easily curable if detected.

"Once the child gets better, you continue for a while, decrease, and stop," she said.