Cases of schizophrenia decreased over the past two years
Records at the Ketu South Health Directorate have indicated an increase in some mental health conditions in the municipality for the year 2021 compared to the previous two years.
Of the top five conditions, the Directorate registered for 2021, schizophrenia (a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves) decreased over the past two years while depression (which involves low mood and loss of interest in activities) decreased from the 2019 figure only.
The others, mental illness not specified increased to 47 from 37 and 28 recorded cases in 2020 and 2019 respectively; mental disorders due to alcohol use increased to 40 cases from 25 in 2020 and 21 in 2019 and, mental disorders due to psychoactive substance use increased to 39 from 29 in 2020 and 28 in 2019.
Mr. Joseph Kwami Degley, Ketu South Municipal Director of Health. in an address at the 2021 end-of-year performance review noted that the Directorate’s efforts to sensitise residents of Ketu South on mental health illnesses yielded little results due to activities of the youth and invited collaboration from stakeholders to achieve desired results.
“The Directorate created awareness on mental health and its related issues to basic and senior high schools and some decentralised departments in the municipality.
“What gladdens my heart is that at one of our Monday morning meetings at the Assembly, the Municipal Chief Executive informed us that the Municipal Security Council and the Traditional Authorities had also noted the numerous joints where our youth abuse substances like alcohol and hard drugs such as marijuana, tramadol, cocaine, and the likes.
“My outfit is ready to partner any agency interested to bring down these unfortunate happenings,” he noted.
The day saw presentations on the Directorate’s human resources/accounts, public health activities, the Municipal Hospital, and the various sub-municipalities as well.
The one-day performance review meeting which served as a forum to give feedback to stakeholders in health on the performance of the Directorate, its successes, and challenges, and the way forward was held on the theme, “Achieving Universal Health Coverage in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Effective and Innovative Leadership.”