Bawku: Traditional and religious leaders in the Upper East Region have been trained in mental health first aid. They were urged to use their influence to fight stigma, promote compassion and dignity, as well as support families affected by mental illness.
According to Ghana News Agency, a one-day workshop was organised by Public Health at Your Doorstep in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, Mandela Washington Fellowship, IREX, and Texas Health and Human Services. It brought together chiefs and religious leaders across the traditional councils. The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of these leaders to understand the growing trend and root causes of mental illness, while empowering them to play a leading role in combating drug abuse in their communities.
Ms. Gifty Atampugbire, the Executive Director of Public Health at Your Doorstep and a Mandela Washington Fellow, stated that the training was designed to bridge the gap in access to mental health services in the five Northern Regions, which currently lack a state-owned mental health facility. She emphasized the importance of empowering traditional and religious leaders, alongside nurses and midwives, to provide mental health first aid and advocacy at the community level.
The Executive Director noted that over 165 nurses and midwives in the region had been trained to serve as mental health first aiders, who would further train their colleagues using provided manuals. She highlighted the need for government support and the establishment of a state-owned rehabilitation facility to improve mental health services in the northern regions.
Ms. Gifty A. Polycarp, the Upper East Regional Mental Health Coordinator, presented concerning data on mental-related illnesses. The data showed 210 depression cases in 2023, 137 in 2024, and 108 in 2025, alongside seven suicide deaths in 2023, 13 in 2024, and seven in 2025. Bipolar disorder cases also rose from 106 in 2023 to 125 in 2024, with 39 cases recorded so far in 2025. She highlighted that these figures were likely underreported due to gaps in data collection and unreported cases by families.
Naba R. S. M. Sayeed Musah Abubakari Sadik, the Chief of Gambigo, who attended the workshop, committed to intensifying advocacy in his community. He plans to continue community sensitization on drug abuse and collaborate with the police to address substance misuse among the youth.
Pastor Joseph Abongo of the Assemblies of God Church commended the initiative, describing it as enlightening. He pledged to share the information with his congregation and the wider community to help combat drug abuse.
The participants called for broader stakeholder engagement, including security services, to strengthen collaboration in addressing mental health and substance abuse challenges in the region.