Mental health treatment must be covered by NHIL --Prof Mike Oquaye

The cost of mental health treatment must be covered by National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye has said.

 Daniel Nii Lartey on the sidelines of a programme to discuss mental health care in Ghana, Prof. Ocquaye vowed that parliament will lead the way to ensure that is done.

“It is quite clear that we should be able to put them [mental health patients] on the National Health Insurance Scheme and these are some of the LIs and other matters parliament will work together with the executive and ensure that it is done,” he stated, adding: “I believe that it is a national concern.”

The Speaker’s comments come barely a month after Human Rights Watch disclosed that hundreds of Ghanaians with real or perceived mental health conditions remain shackled in prayer camps across the country.

Government pledged last year to ban the practice, but nothing has happened the rights groups said.

Human Right Watch’s recent visit to Mount Horeb Prayer Camp in a town called Mamfi, with Ghana’s Mental Health Authority, found dozens of people with psychosocial disabilities still chained and detained in overcrowded and congested conditions.

Over 140 people were seen detained in unsanitary and dark rooms with little ventilation, said Human Rights Watch a report it published Wednesday to mark the World Mental Health Day a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.

“The stench of urine was overwhelming. One room housed 60 men, some of whom have been there for more than five years. As of October 10, 42 men remain confined in that room. The gate locked. 

113 people with real or perceived mental health conditions are now in the camp,” the rights group said in the report.