The Chief Psychiatrist of the Ghana Health Service has advocated the speedy passage of the Mental Health Bill in order to save Ghana’s Mental Health Care system from collapsing. Speaking on the STATUS QUO a current affairs programme on Multi TV, Dr. Akwasi Osei urged Parliament to pass the Bill before the end of its current session, wondering why such a simple solution has not been implemented for all these years. According to Dr. Osei, the bill which was prepared as far back as 2006 will de-institutionalize the mental health system and focus more on community and home based care for mentally ill persons. Under the Mental Health Bill addresses the issue of inadequate health facilities for treating mental ailment, the bill requires every regional hospital to have a 20-bed psychiatric unit whiles all district hospitals are required to have a 12-bed psychiatric unit. The bill when passed into law will recognize traditional and faith-based mental care givers and streamline their operations accordingly. According to Dr. Osei, the Mental Health sector gets only 40% of its budget making it difficult for an effective mental health care delivery system but the passing of the law will force government to commit more resource for mental health care. The bill when passed into law will put in place a Mental Health Board which will coordinate all activities within the mental health care system and more importantly workout an aggressive educational campaign to reduce stigmatization and other stereotypes associated with treated mental patients. Dr. Osei however urged the various institutions to maintain the present enthusiasm even after the passage of the bill to ensure a smooth take off of the law. Meanwhile Peter Yaro of Basic Needs Ghana, has advocated the drafting of a Mental Health program similar to the Malaria control program. Mr. Yaro was of the view that the program will not necessarily need a law for its implementation. However the funding of the program from alternative sources like the WHO will make the program work. Mr. Peter Yaro called for a task shifting approach to mental health care where all general nurses will be given some form of training in psychiatric nursing to help bridge the gap between patient-psychiatric nurse ratio. On her part Miss Amanorbea Dodoo, Program Coordinator of the Ghana Disability Council urged families and society in general to play an active role in the treatment of mental patients, adding, “the first point of call for the treatment of mental illness is the family”. He further indicated that families must understand, accept and appreciate why they must play a crucial role in the treatment of mental patients. Source: Multi TV