Badimak Peter YARO Executive Director, BasicNeeds-GHANA

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1 Civil Society involvement in the Mental Health Law of Ghana BasicNeeds-Ghana s Role Badimak Peter YARO Executive Director, BasicNeeds-GHANA Global Mental Health Forum Centre for Global Mental Health, Sustainable development through global action: The case for investing in mental health Institute of Psychiatry, King s College London, 27 th September, 2013

Centre for Global Mental Health, Sustainable development through global action: The case

2 Contents Brief introduction of BasicNeeds-Ghana Findings of BasicNeeds-Ghana s 2002 baseline report Why Ghana needed a new Mental Health Law Key milestones and BasicNeeds-Ghana s contribution to the development and passage of the mental health Law Key lessons from the experience Conclusion

Health Law Key milestones and BasicNeeds-Ghana s contribution to the

3 BasicNeeds-Ghana in brief Founded in 2002, BasicNeeds-Ghana (BNGh) remains a dominant development advocacy organisation in Ghana Working in six regions of Ghana in over 66 districts 3 main programmes: Northern Ghana; (Northern, Upper East & Upper West Regions) Accra/Urban; (4 sub-metros with some of the poorest settlements) Mid-Ghana; Brong-Ahafo & Ashanti regions Since 2002, implemented over 15 projects of between 12 months and 5 years

(Northern, Upper East & Upper West Regions) Accra/Urban; (4 sub-metros with some of the poorest settlements)

4 Brief of BasicNeeds-Ghana cont. How we work Talk to community (Capacity Building) Treatment Acceptance Community Self Help Groups Livelihoods

5 Involvement of BNGh and the reasons for a mental health law Findings of BNGh s 2002 feasibility study: Absence of an up-to-date law for mental health No specific/independent unit at the national service level (GHS) to oversee mental health Community mental health inadequately implemented and supervised, with weak linkages to socio-economic and general rights issues High vulnerability and poverty, and poor human rights situations of people with mental illness or epilepsy The WHO 2001 World Mental Health Report Developments in the global scene with innovations for management of mental conditions and with emphasis on community mental health services integrated into primary care

to socio-economic and general rights issues High vulnerability and poverty, and poor human rights situations of people with mental illness or epilepsy The WHO 2001 World

6 Known similar concerns and efforts : Efforts of then Chief Psychiatrist (Prof. Asare) to have the 1972 decree reviewed; aborted at various levels (MOH, Parliament) : WHO 2001 report: showing many countries did not have a modern mental health law heightened the need for Ghana to have a new/up-to-date law Series of discussions by Chief Psychiatrist with Director of Legal drafting unit of the Attorney General s Dept., & Cabinet resulted in a memo giving go-ahead for commencement of processes to having a new mental law 2004: Drafting committee established and first Drafting Committee meeting in Feb. jointly organised by the office of the Chief Psychiatrist and BasicNeeds- Ghana

heightened the need for Ghana to have a new/up-to-date law Series of discussions by Chief Psychiatrist with Director of Legal drafting unit of the Attorney General s Dept.

7 Key milestones & BNGh engagements in the push for the Law 2004 BNGh jointly organised the first group that constituted the drafting committee of the Mental Health Bill Making the case with policy and service authorities (underpinned by the WHO 2001 World Health report & BasicNeeds model for mental health): Prof. Badu Akosah (then Dir-Gen of the GHS) Dr. Richard Anane & Maj. (rtd) Courage Quashigah (Hon. Ministers of Health) Using BNGh community awareness and public education programmes to make reference to the need for a mental health Law, including two video documentaries and in collaboration with psychiatrists of the country got Development Partners in Ghana to visit to a Psychiatric hospital (Pantang Psychiatric Hospital) to see for themselves the situation of people with mental illness in the hospitals Bring policy authorities to programmes & events of BNGh to make them commit to having the Mental Health Bill become law

8 Key milestones & BNGh engagements in the push for the Law Presentation of the Draft Bill to select committee of Parliament Review of the draft bill the full house of the select committee for health for the first time

of Parliament 2010-2011 Review of the draft bill the

9 Key milestones & BNGh engagements in the push for the Law Sustained and intense media campaigns on mental health and the need for the law Television interviews and panel discussions on mental health and Ghana s situation involving health professionals and advocates, and service users and primary care-givers, as well as Newspaper stories/feature articles

discussions on mental health and Ghana s situation involving health professionals and

10 Key milestones & BNGh engagements in the push for the Law Route marches and presentation of petition to Minister of Health and the Chair of the select Committee of Parliament on health Alliance of NGO/CBO, service users and primary carers united for mental health

the Chair of the select Committee of Parliament on health

11 Key lessons Be prepared to be frustrated! Build relations with individual key government officials and Members of Parliament, and traditional authorities, and celebrities Advocacy is expensive ( invest time and money) Get mental health service users and primary carers organised and being involved in calling attention to not just their plights but their potentials and achievements Build broad-based alliances and have a coherent consistent message Make the media a partner in the campaign making them appreciate that Mental Health can be and is newsworthy as well as should be seen as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility

invest time and money) Get mental health service users and primary carers organised and being involved in calling attention to not just their plights but

12 Facilitating and assisting establishment of community mental health service units Way forward We will continue to make the Mental Health Law widely known and implemented as required Disseminating widely to professional groups: Community health/general nurses District Assembly officials (DCEs, planning officers, budget officers) Security services (Police, Prisons, Army, Immigration) Media Training community mental health personnel on the Essential Skills to mental health care at the community level

health/general nurses District Assembly officials (DCEs, planning officers, budget officers) Security services (Police,

13 Way forward Get the Legislative Instrument, being the implementation guide for the Mental Health Law approved

14 European Commission For contacts:

15 Discussions questions & answers Visit: Contact:

All other jurisdictions in Australia, as well as New Zealand, have established bodies that offer individual and/or systemic advocacy.

ATTACHMENT 7 STRUCTURE OF MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY SERVICE: EQUIVALENTS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS OVERVIEW All other jurisdictions in Australia, as well as New Zealand, have established bodies that offer individual