09 April 2026 |Ghana Launches Maternal Mental Health Policy to Address Critical Care Gap
Ghana has taken a significant step to address a long-standing gap in its health system with the official launch of the Maternal Mental Health Policy (MMHP).
Ghana
WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health
WHO/Ben Adams
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Ghana was selected to be part of the WHO’s Director General’s Special Initiative for Mental Health in 2021 to support systems transformation and scaling up of mental health services. The Initiative seeks to ensure 5.2 million more Ghanaians have access to integrated, quality, person-centred mental health care in accordance with the Universal Health Coverage road map for Ghana.
Strengthening Mental Health Systems
Through activities under the Special Initiative for Mental Health, Ghana is strengthening mental health systems across the country. This includes:
Advocating for financial risk protection for persons living with mental health conditions under the benefit package of the national health insurance scheme.
Ongoing capacity strengthening in primary health facilities for early detection of mental disorders, treatment, management and psychosocial support.
Strengthening collaboration with civil society organisations, persons living with mental health conditions and relevant partners to improve the quality of mental health services through the work of the Mental Health Tribunal and Visiting Committees.
Building a research culture and facilitating an enabling ecosystem for research on mental health.
Resources
13 May 2022
Ghana - WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health
The first step taken by all countries in WHO’s Special Initiative for Mental Health was to carry out country-specific situation analyses to...
News
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