The Hidden Epidemic: Why Mental Health in Ghana Remains a Silent Crisis

Introduction: The Forgotten Patients

On the roadside just outside Kintampo, about 400 kilometers from Accra, a billboard advertises the services of a traditional healer. The sign is similar to many that line Ghana’s highways, but this one stands out: it offers treatment specifically for εdam—madness.

Behind the billboard, down a narrow unpaved road, lies a shrine. On a raised concrete platform under a corrugated iron roof, people sleep on soiled mattresses. Many are shackled to metal posts by their families. Caregivers—most often mothers—stay with them, preparing meals and helping with personal care .

This shrine is not hidden. It has been visited by Ghana’s chief psychiatrist. It hosts annual visits by lecturers and students from the Kintampo College of Health and Wellbeing, who come to learn about traditional healing methods. Yet the chains remain.

This is the reality of mental health care in Ghana. Despite progressive laws and international recognition for its Mental Health Act, the country faces a silent epidemic. An estimated 19% of Ghanaians have a mental illness, while 43% experience some form of psychological distress . Yet the treatment gap stands at a staggering 98% —meaning nearly all who need care do not receive it .

This Accra Street Journal article explores the hidden crisis of mental health in Ghana—from the underfunding of psychiatric hospitals and the dominance of traditional healers to the policy gaps, stigma, and the slow shift toward community-based care.

Part 1: The Scale of the Crisis – What the Numbers Don’t Tell You

A 98% Treatment Gap

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), contributing factors to mental health conditions in Ghana include anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders . But the real story is not the prevalence—it is the neglect.

The mental disorder treatment gap—the percentage of people with untreated illness—is estimated at 98% . This means that for every 100 Ghanaians suffering from a mental health condition, only two receive any form of effective treatment.

The Disability Burden

A quantitative study using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS-12) found that 66% of participants with mental illness reported significant functional disability—meaning they were unable to function well in daily life due to their mental disorder . The same study found that only a third of participants had access to any form of support or social protection services .

This is not merely a health crisis. It is an economic and social crisis. When people with mental illness cannot function, they cannot work. When families bear the full burden of care without support, they fall into poverty. When the state fails to provide services, the costs are shifted to the most vulnerable—the families who chain their loved ones because they have no other option.

Part 2: The Underfunded System – Three Hospitals for 30 Million People

The Psychiatric Hospitals

Ghana has three main psychiatric hospitals: Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Pantang Hospital, and Ankaful Hospital. Between them, they serve a population of over 30 million people.

Pantang Hospital, established in 1975 under the Mental Health Decree, NRCD 30, is the largest in terms of land size but second to Accra in bed capacity . It currently has ten admission wards in operation—seven male and three female—each with a bed capacity of fifty . There is a 24-hour emergency reception centre for psychological cases .

These hospitals are grossly inadequate for the scale of need. They are concentrated in the south, leaving the northern half of the country with no dedicated psychiatric facility. The government has promised to establish modern mental health hospitals in the northern part of the country, but as of 2026, these remain promises, not realities .

The Funding Gap

The 2026 National Budget allocated increased financing for the health sector, but the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) identified mental health infrastructure as a major gap. They noted that no funds were allocated for new facilities or expansion of existing ones, despite rising demand .

This neglect is not new. The Mental Health Authority has long been underfunded, and the Legislative Instrument (LI) needed to fully operationalize the Mental Health Act has faced repeated delays . Without the LI, key provisions of the Act remain unimplementable.

The Workforce Crisis

The mental health workforce is severely understaffed. A study on the implementation of the Mental Health Act identified insufficient resources and mental health workforce as one of five major barriers . Community nurses and pharmacists—who lack proper training in mental health—have become the default practitioners in dealing with mental illness .

The government has promised to expand training, recruitment, and retention of community mental health officers, but progress has been slow .

Part 3: The Pluralistic System – Traditional and Faith Healers

The Popularity of Traditional Healing

In many African countries, traditional and faith healers are popular options for treating mental health problems . Ghana is no exception. The shrine near Kintampo is just one of many across the country.

Traditional healers are often more accessible than psychiatric hospitals. They are located in communities, not in distant cities. They operate within cultural frameworks that make sense to patients and families. And for many, they offer the only form of care available.

The Human Rights Concerns

But there are serious concerns. At the Kintampo shrine, many patients are shackled to metal posts. They sleep on soiled mattresses in an open platform, exposed to the elements. The medicines administered have highly sedative effects, and often the clients are in a deep sleep .

Human rights organizations have published damning reports detailing the use of chains, enforced fasting, and beatings in healing churches and shrines . The Mental Health Authority has actively promoted collaboration between traditional healers and mental health practitioners to prevent such abuses, but the practice continues.

In the case of the Kintampo shrine, chaining continues despite the shrine’s proximity to a training college, visits by instructors and students, and even funding from the mental health administration for a water tank and borehole .

Why Families Choose Shrines

Families do not send their loved ones to shrines out of cruelty. They do so out of desperation. Many families complain bitterly about the high cost of treatment—not only the money given to the healer but also the loss of earnings due to weeks or months spent at the shrine .

Yet for some, the shrine provides a resolution and a respite after many years of struggle. Caregivers come together to share stories and advice, drawing on their experiences of providing care for an adult child who may not recognize that there is any problem or may have been hostile and even violent toward them .

The problem is not that traditional healers exist. It is that the state has failed to provide an alternative.

Part 4: The Policy Response – What Is Being Done

The Mental Health Act (Act 846)

Ghana’s Mental Health Act was passed in 2012 and has been recognized locally and internationally as an excellent step for transforming mental healthcare . The Act led to the establishment of the Ghana Mental Health Authority (GMHA) , the expansion of the mental health workforce through regional mental health coordinators, and a systematic reduction in the use of chains and flogging .

But implementation has been weak. Researchers have identified five major barriers:

1. Underfunding due to lack of political commitment

2. Policy failure and delay in passing the Legislative Instrument (LI)

3. Insufficient resources and mental health workforce

4. Poor mental health literacy and limited knowledge of the MHA

5. Lack of mental health data for planning

The NHIS Mental Health Tariffs

In May 2025, the Ministry of Health announced that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is in the final stages of completing mental health tariffs to operationalize mental health services under the NHIS benefits package . The NHIS will cover conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia .

A mental health hotline has also been introduced to deliver professional support and e-counseling services across all districts .

The Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to integrating mental health services into the Free Primary Health Care policy framework. No Ghanaian should be left behind when it comes to mental wellness,” he stated .

Integration into Primary Healthcare

The government has committed to integrating mental health services into primary healthcare, bringing care closer to communities . The Mental Health Authority has called for the integration of non-communicable disease (NCD) and mental health service delivery within the Network of Practice (NoP) framework at the primary healthcare level .

Dr Edward Appah, Specialist Psychiatrist at the Mental Health Authority, noted that “the co-occurrence of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders with NCDs like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease is well-documented” . Integration will improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance efficiency .

The Promise of New Hospitals

The government has promised to commence the establishment of modern mental health hospitals in the northern part of the country and refurbish existing facilities . But these promises have been made before. As of 2026, no new facilities have been built, and the 2026 budget allocated no funds for mental health infrastructure .

Part 5: The Stigma – The Barrier No Policy Can Fix Alone

Mental Illness Hidden Behind Closed Doors

The Mental Health Authority has called for a national cultural shift toward greater openness about mental health . But stigma remains deeply entrenched.

Representing the Vice President at the 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month launch, Hon. Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo stated: “Mental illness does not discriminate. It can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time. We must all work to create a society where mental health is no longer hidden behind closed doors” .

The Role of Advocacy

Civil society organizations are working to change this. The Baobab Mental Wellness Community, a UK-registered charity operating in Ghana, focuses on providing information, advice, and support on mental health issues; raising awareness; organizing mental health seminars and outreach projects; and collaborating with local health facilities to provide comprehensive treatment .

But these efforts are small relative to the scale of the problem.

The Power of Language

The theme for the 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month was “Mental Well-being: My Voice Matters” . It is a powerful theme—but for a voice to matter, there must be someone listening. And for a voice to be heard, the speaker must feel safe to speak.

In Ghana today, too many people with mental illness have no voice at all. They are chained in shrines. They are hidden in back rooms. They are wandering the streets, the growing number of mentally challenged on our streets defeating the role of social welfare structures .

Part 6: The Way Forward – From Neglect to Care

Increase Funding

The most immediate need is funding. The 2026 budget allocated no funds for mental health infrastructure . This must change. The government must allocate specific, ring-fenced funding for mental health—not as an afterthought but as a priority.

Pass the Legislative Instrument

The Mental Health Act has been law since 2012, but the Legislative Instrument needed to fully operationalize it remains unpassed . This is a failure of political will, not of resources. The LI must be passed without further delay.

Expand Community-Based Care

The concentration of psychiatric services in Accra leaves the rest of the country without access. The government must establish community-based mental health services in every district, integrated into primary healthcare . This is not only more accessible—it is also more humane.

Regulate Traditional Healers, Don’t Condemn Them

Traditional healers will continue to treat mental illness regardless of what the government does. The solution is not to ban them—it is to regulate them. The Mental Health Authority’s efforts at collaboration are a step in the right direction, but they need to be scaled up and enforced .

Train Primary Health Workers

Community nurses and pharmacists are already the default practitioners for mental health . They need proper training. The government must invest in training programs for primary health workers in mental health identification, treatment, and referral.

Address Stigma Head-On

Policy changes mean nothing if people are too ashamed to seek care. The government must launch a sustained, nationwide anti-stigma campaign—not just during Purple Month in May, but year-round .

Summary Table: The Mental Health Crisis at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What percentage of Ghanaians suffer from mental illness?
An estimated 19% of Ghanaians have a mental illness, while 43% experience some form of psychological distress .

2. What is the mental health treatment gap in Ghana?
The treatment gap is 98% , meaning that nearly all people with mental illness in Ghana do not receive effective treatment .

3. How many psychiatric hospitals does Ghana have?
Ghana has three main psychiatric hospitals: Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Pantang Hospital, and Ankaful Hospital .

4. What is the Mental Health Act of Ghana?
The Mental Health Act (Act 846) was passed in 2012 and established the Mental Health Authority. It has been recognized internationally as an excellent step for transforming mental healthcare, but implementation has been weak .

5. Does the NHIS cover mental health treatment?
The NHIA is in the final stages of completing mental health tariffs to cover conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia .

6. Why do families send mentally ill relatives to traditional healers?
Families turn to traditional healers out of desperation—due to lack of access to psychiatric care, the high cost of treatment, and cultural beliefs. Some shrines also provide a social support network for caregivers .

7. Are traditional healers regulated in Ghana?
The Mental Health Authority has promoted collaboration with traditional and faith healers, but harmful practices like chaining continue .

8. Is the government building new mental health hospitals?
The government has promised to establish modern mental health hospitals in the northern part of the country, but no funds were allocated for mental health infrastructure in the 2026 budget .

9. What is the government doing to improve mental health care?
Initiatives include integrating mental health into primary healthcare, developing NHIS tariffs for mental health, introducing a mental health hotline, and promising new facilities in the north .

10. What can I do to help?
Speak openly about mental health to reduce stigma. Support organizations like the Baobab Mental Wellness Community . Advocate for increased government funding for mental health services.

Conclusion: The Chains That Bind

The chains at the Kintampo shrine are not just physical. They are chains of neglect, of stigma, of underfunding, of a system that has failed the most vulnerable. They are chains that bind not only the patients but also their families—mothers who stay for weeks or months, sacrificing their livelihoods to care for children who do not recognize them.

Ghana has a progressive Mental Health Act. It has a Mental Health Authority. It has international recognition for its policy innovations. But policy without implementation is just paper.

The 98% treatment gap is not a statistic. It is millions of people suffering in silence. It is families chaining their loved ones because they have no other option. It is a country that has turned away from its most vulnerable citizens.

The government has promised new hospitals, integrated care, and a national culture shift . But promises without funding are just words. The 2026 budget allocated no funds for mental health infrastructure . The Legislative Instrument remains unpassed . The chains remain.

The hidden epidemic of mental health in Ghana will not be solved by a single policy or a single budget. It will be solved by a sustained commitment—to funding, to implementation, to training, to destigmatization, and to the belief that every Ghanaian deserves care.

The question is not whether Ghana can afford to invest in mental health. The question is whether it can afford not to.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on April 21, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

accrastreetjournal.com/