Government urged to prioritise mental health funding and education

Mr Innocent Funn, the National Clinical Psychologist of the SOS Children Village, has called on the government to increase funding for mental health issues and integrate mental health education into the school curriculum.Mr Funn, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said there was a need to increase mental health awareness and support in Ghana.While acknowledging that some progress had been made in awareness creation, he stressed that more needed to be done to address the growing concern of mental health issues in the country.He suggested that the government should allocate more funds to provide access to professionals and create programmes that promote the mental wellness of citizens.'We wish if they can make more funds available so that awareness can be created and people can even have access to services of professionals,' he said.Mr Funn advocated for the inclusion of mental health education in schools, alongside other subjects like mathematics and science as he believes this will he lp children develop emotional intelligence and better cope with stress.He also highlighted the importance of parental involvement in children's mental health, sharing a personal experience where a family's focus on financial security led to the neglect of their child's emotional needs, resulting in attempted suicide.Mr Funn emphasised that parents must prioritise their children's emotional well-being, stressing that financial security, was not the only aspect of a child's life, but rather, children needed care, love, and attention from their parents to thrive in stressful situations.Source: Ghana News Agency