Mental health nurse Benjamin Tormadogo has called for increased investment in mental healthcare in Ghana, warning that inadequate access to treatment is leaving many people vulnerable to neglect, abuse and worsening mental health conditions.
He said the country appeared to give greater attention to physical health than mental wellbeing, despite the growing need for accessible mental health services.
Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews during a discussion on depression, stress and employee wellbeing, Mr Tormadogo said Ghana needed to do more to ensure that people experiencing mental health difficulties could access appropriate care.
“I think we can do better,” he said when asked whether Ghana was investing adequately in mental health.
“I feel we invest more in physical health. And when it comes to mental health, little attention is given to it.”
He referred to a reported 21 per cent rise in mental health cases or demand for mental healthcare cited by the Mental Health Authority, saying the figure alone was not enough to address the broader challenges facing the sector.
He said that increased investment could help more people who were struggling with mental health conditions in their homes, on the streets and in healthcare facilities.
Mr Tormadogo expressed concern about people with mental health conditions who end up in prayer camps and other settings where they may be subjected to harmful treatment because they cannot access professional healthcare.
He said some people were left at the mercy of faith healers who believed their conditions were caused by spiritual possession.
“If we can invest in mental health, I think we can help a lot of people on the streets, a lot of people in our facility, a lot of people in our homes, even prayer camps,” he said.
“Many people are chained today. Why? Because they couldn’t have the means to even access healthcare.”
He added that some people were beaten because their conditions were wrongly attributed to spiritual possession, highlighting the consequences of limited access to appropriate mental healthcare.
The nurse called for greater national attention to mental health, arguing that improved investment could help more people receive the care they need rather than face neglect or harmful practices.
The discussion also examined the impact of demanding working conditions on the mental wellbeing of employees in Ghana.
The host said that limited job opportunities could make workers feel compelled to hold on to their jobs at all costs, even when their working conditions affected their health.
Employees who work throughout the week, including weekends and public holidays, may have little time to rest or attend to their personal needs. Long commutes in heavy traffic, inadequate sleep and poor eating habits can add to the pressure.
Mr Tormadogo said human beings were affected by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors, meaning that their surroundings and daily experiences could influence their overall wellbeing.
“I always describe or I always say human beings, we are biopsychosocial. So, that means everything happening around affects us,” he said.
He warned that working seven days a week without enough time to rest could take a toll on an individual’s mental health.
“Going to work seven days a week, not having enough time to rest, will definitely affect you,” he added.
Mr Tormadogo advised employees to understand their personal limits and recognise when work-related pressure was becoming difficult to manage.
He said identifying these warning signs could help workers take steps to rest and recover before reaching burnout or developing more serious mental health difficulties.
“What you must do as a person is recognise your breaking point,” he said.
He urged workers to identify how much pressure they could reasonably cope with and make time for rest, even during demanding work schedules.
According to him, recognising personal limits and taking appropriate breaks could help prevent prolonged stress from escalating into burnout and mental illness.
However, he said that the responsibility should not rest on employees alone, as employers also had a role to play in protecting workers’ mental wellbeing.
The mental health nurse called on employers to acknowledge that mental illness is real and take practical steps to ensure that workplace conditions do not undermine employees’ wellbeing.
He said organisations needed to create environments where workers could perform their duties without being exposed to unnecessary pressure or toxic working conditions.
He argued that employees and employers depended on each other to achieve their goals, making cooperation essential to maintaining a healthy and productive workplace.
“So, they will have to also put measures in place as the individual is also putting in the hard work,” he said, referring to employers’ responsibility to support their workers.
“They will also put measures in place so that they don’t make the workplace toxic for them to thrive in.”
“Because you need me, I need you. So, both of us have to work together to get the work done,” he added.