A psychiatrist at the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital, Dr. Josephine Opoku-Kyeremeh, has urged residents of the Kassena-Nankana Municipality to seek professional mental healthcare at the earliest signs of emotional or psychological distress, noting that growing public awareness and stronger collaboration with religious leaders are encouraging more people to access treatment before their conditions deteriorate.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Thursday, July 16, Dr. Opoku-Kyeremeh said mental health conditions can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or social background, emphasizing that early diagnosis and treatment remain among the most effective ways to prevent severe illness and suicide.
She explained that mental health disorders encompass a wide range of conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, substance use disorders and postpartum mental health conditions that affect some women after childbirth.
According to Dr. Opoku-Kyeremeh, sustained public education by health professionals, the media and community stakeholders has significantly reduced misconceptions surrounding mental illness, resulting in more people seeking care at health facilities.
She also observed that the decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Ghana has removed a major barrier to care, encouraging individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional crises to seek professional support without fear of prosecution.
“More people are getting to know and realise that mental health is something they need to pay attention to,” she said.
Dr. Opoku-Kyeremeh explained that many attempted suicide cases seen at the hospital are not necessarily associated with chronic mental illness but are often triggered by acute life stressors such as relationship difficulties, family conflicts, financial pressures and other overwhelming personal challenges.
“Most of the time, it’s just an acute stressful situation. When they don’t succeed, they regret it,” she noted.
To improve early detection, she said the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital has integrated mental health screening into routine healthcare services, allowing patients who visit the hospital for other medical conditions to be assessed for underlying mental health concerns.
She added that the hospital has also introduced outpatient rehabilitation services to support individuals battling substance use disorders, providing them with counselling and continuous follow-up care.
Despite these interventions, Dr. Opoku-Kyeremeh acknowledged that mental healthcare delivery in the municipality continues to face significant challenges, including inadequate funding, periodic shortages of essential psychotropic medications and the absence of key specialists such as clinical psychologists and occupational therapists.
“If you find your way to the hospital, irrespective of whatever complaint you’ve come with, we screen you for mental health conditions because early identification makes treatment easier,” she said.
She encouraged residents to seek professional help whenever emotional distress becomes persistent or begins to interfere with daily life, stressing that mental health conditions are treatable and that timely intervention enables many people to recover and continue living productive and fulfilling lives.
Mike 105.3FM I Navrongo | Elizabeth Apusaama
