"5% of National Budget to Be Spent On Mental Health Campaign'"

With the increasing rate of madness and other mental disease hampering the development of the nation, 5% of the country's budget would be spent on the mental health campaign awareness.

It is estimated that 12% of the total population are being encountered by the mental disorder through chronic anxieties, depression and drug abuse.

Vice President Aliu Mahama disclosed this at the launching of the World Health report and mental health forum at the British Council this week.

He said the NPP Government is committed to providing and supporting beneficial programmes, which could go a long way to help speed up the progress of the country.

He lamented that the youth, who the future of the country lies on, have seriously taken to narcotic drugs.

He stated that the identification of the drug awareness is the most important thing, which all the district assemblies have to embrace and support to impart knowledge of the anti-drug campaign into the youths and students in the second cycle institutions.

On his part, Dr. Emmanuel Mensah, Director General of Health, said the mentally sick should not be antagonized in the society by chaining them.

Rather, they should be given the necessary medical care, he advocated.

He said infrastructure at the psychiatric hospitals, which could help the hospitals deliver quality services, are very poor for hygienic condition.

He said nurses at the Akanfo Psychiatric Hospital are limited, adding that, six nurses are obliged to care for the numerous patients.

"Due to the lack of personnel at Ankafo, the nurses are stressed and over worked. Meanwhile there are no incentives to motivate them."

Presenting the World Report, Dr. Clement D. Abbey said 450million people are currently suffering from mental illnesses.

He noted that some of the patients suffer from anxieties, oppressions and depression.