BasicNeeds Ghana empowers Mentally Retarded and Epilepsy Patients

By
Anthony Apubeo, GNA

Bongo (U/E), June
22, GNA – Basic Needs Ghana, a Mental Health Advocacy Non-Governmental
Organisation (NGO) has provided livelihood support to 317 people with mental
illnesses and Epilepsy (PWMIEs) who have been stabilized to engage in
Livelihood activities.

The beneficiaries
selected from 12 communities in five Districts are; the Bolgatanga Municipal,
Bongo and Binduri Districts received about GHC 113,350, and are expected to
undertake petty trading, farming, livestock rearing, basket weaving, sheabutter
extraction, tailoring among others.

They would be
supported by their care givers and be monitored by the NGO ensure success.

The support under
“the Health Sector Support Programme of UKAID” was funded by the Department for
International Development (DFID).

The beneficiary
communities include; Gbantongo, Boya-Natinga, Gumbo/Kpantarigo in the Bawku
West District, Atuba and Tegbilla in the Binduri District, Baare, in the
Talensi District, Vea and Dua in the Bongo District and Gambibgo, Yikene in the
Bolgatanga Municipal.

Mr Bernard Azuure,
the Project Coordinator of Basic Needs Ghana speaking to the media about the
intervention at separate functions at Bongo and Binduri, explained that it was
to support the beneficiaries to generate incomes to help improve upon their
livelihoods,  buy medicines and to keep
them out of boredom.

He said the project
also distributed 13 motor bikes to the beneficiary Assemblies to facilitate
community mental health activities as well as collaborated with the Ghana
Health Service to organise specialist outreach programmes in the clinics in the
region for PWMIEs.

Mr Azuure stated
that his outfit with support from the project also advocated the need for
Municipal and District Assemblies to help fund the Self Help Groups activities
of the PWMIEs and also purchase psychotropic and anti-epileptic medicines for
PWMIEs in the Bawku West, Talensi, Bongo, Binduri and Pusiga Districts.

“Apart from that the
project advocated the management of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)
to include PWMIE as indigent in the scheme and also for the Department of
Social Welfare and Community Development to include them in the LEAP programme”
the Project Coordinator indicated.

He said whilst the
project provided support to the Upper East Regional Alliance for Mental Health
and Development to sensitise the general public on the stigmatisation and
rights of PWMIEs through radio programmes, it also funded their quarterly
meetings to learn and share innovations on mental health activities of members
of the Alliance.

The project, he
noted, offered capacity building training for about 200 Traditional Healers in
the region on the rights of PWMIEs and to ensure their referral to the formal
mental health facilities to access health care services.

“It further built the capacity of some
Traditional authorities in the region on common mental illness,  empowered them to advocate against the abuse
of PWMIEs at the local level as well as trained Community Health Workers, General
Physicians and Medical Assistants on Essential Skills to mental health care
using the Basic Needs and WHO “mhGAP’ training manual”, he indicated.

He said it further
trained 38 community volunteers on common mental illness and their role in
promoting community mental health in their communities and commemorated the
World Mental Health Day celebration in the Region through route floats, and
symposia to create mental health awareness.

The beneficiaries
and their Care Givers thanked Basic Needs Ghana and DFID for the support and
hoped that the support would enable them to generate extra income to cater for
their health and other social needs.

GNA

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