By Enock Akonnor (Managing Editor) enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
While many Ghanaians gathered with family and friends to celebrate Christmas, more than 500 mental health patients living on the streets were remembered through a nationwide humanitarian intervention led by the Mensah Mental Health Rehabilitation Project (MEMHREP).
In a bold and compassionate move, MEMHREP took Christmas to the streets on Wednesday, distributing bowls of cooked food to mental health patients across the country; many of whom have been abandoned by relatives and pushed to the margins of society due to stigma.
In the Ejisu Municipality, service personnel of the project hit the streets in the early hours, personally reaching out to patients, feeding them, and engaging them in warm interactions that restored a sense of dignity and belonging.
The compassion did not end there. On the same day, executives of MEMHREP donated an undisclosed sum of money to recovered mental health patients and others still undergoing treatment at the Sompa Mensah Medical Center at Ekyem Aboagye Estate.
The gesture was carried out in collaboration with health officials of the facility.
Describing the exercise, the General Manager of MEMHREP said the outreach was part of the project’s routine humanitarian activities, designed to put smiles on faces often forgotten by society.
“Many mental health patients are abandoned by their own families because of stigma. That neglect is not right and only worsens their condition,” she said.
“They deserve love, care, and dignity like everyone else.”
Mary Mensah emphasized that neglecting persons with mental illness deepens their suffering, noting that MEMHREP has, for over 14 years, consistently supported patients through feeding, medication, financial aid, clothing, spiritual support, and rehabilitation services.
Administrator of the Sompa Mensah Medical Center, Hanna Adjei, praised MEMHREP for standing firm in the face of daunting challenges. She disclosed that treating mental health patients is extremely expensive, especially with the rising cost of medication, and appealed to philanthropists at home and abroad to support the life-saving work of the project.
Mental health practitioner Bright Adarkwa Yiadom used the occasion to sound a strong alarm, calling on government to urgently intervene.
He appealed for free mental health services, including medication, and the provision of risk allowances for caregivers who work under difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions.
Adding her voice, the Ejisu Municipal Mental Health Coordinator, Millicent Nyamekye, described MEMHREP as a “lifeline” to many patients since its formation, urging philanthropists and corporate bodies to help expand its reach.
From Rejection to Recovery
The outreach was deeply emotional for beneficiaries. Isaac Osei, now 28, recounted how he was forced out of school at age 12 after authorities wrongly believed his epilepsy could infect other students.
Abandoned by relatives and stripped of his future, Isaac said MEMHREP stepped in when all hope was lost.
“Today my condition is better,” he said. “I work as a shoemaker and I am grateful.”
Another beneficiary, 26-year-old Joseph Addai, testified that the medical support he receives from MEMHREP has significantly improved his condition.
Beyond Christmas Gestures
Established in 2011, MEMHREP continues to champion mental health care in Ghana through education, outreach, community support, alcohol and drug detoxification, and resettlement after rehabilitation.
The project, led by MEMHREP CEO Mr. Adu-Gyamfi, also supports other vulnerable persons beyond mental health patients.
A 500-bed mental health rehabilitation centre is set to be established at Asante Juaben in the Juaben Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The ultra-modern facility, to be developed by the Mensah Mental Health Rehabilitation Project (MEMHREP), aims to address the growing mental health needs of individuals across the country.
The centre will play a critical role in expanding access to quality mental health care, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations.
MEMHREP’s core mission is to improve and sustain the overall well-being of persons living with mental health conditions by providing comprehensive, high-quality, and compassionate care.
Upon completion, the rehabilitation centre will provide accommodation and treatment for individuals with mental health needs, alongside resettlement and reintegration support.
This will include vocational and skills-based training to equip beneficiaries with employable skills for independent living and successful reintegration into society.
The facility will comprise 500 cluster beds, a conference centre, a resettlement and vocational training complex (including workshops and apprenticeship units), a mosque, a church, a fully equipped clinic, and a modern waste management plant.
As Christmas lights fade, MEMHREP’s actions have once again exposed a painful reality: while many celebrate, some are simply struggling to survive and it takes compassion, not stigma, to bring them back into society.
Enock Akonnor is an experienced Ghanaian journalist, based in Kumasi and currently serves as the CEO and Managing Editor of www.leakyghana.com.
With a wealth of expertise built over many years in the media industry, he has earned a solid reputation as one of Ghana’s most sought-after journalists.
Contact:
📞 +233 541 921 562
✉️ enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
