The Health Minister, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has restated the government’s strong dedication to improving mental health care across the country. Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month popularly known as the Purple Month at the Ghana Shippers Authority auditorium in Accra, the Minister said mental health will no longer be treated as a side issue.
He announced bold plans to integrate mental health into primary healthcare and invest in infrastructure and human resources to ensure that services reach every corner of the country.
Addressing the gathering on Tuesday, April 30, Hon. Akandoh described the silence around mental illness as a national threat that has inflicted pain on countless families. “Mental health shapes how we think, live, and relate, yet for too long, we’ve turned a blind eye,” he said.
Under the theme “Mental Well-being: My Voice Matters,” the Minister called for an end to the stigma that keeps many from seeking help. He said President John Dramani Mahama’s administration is determined to turn policy into meaningful action, placing mental health firmly on the national development agenda.
Among the key initiatives, the Minister outlined plans to establish a state-of-the-art mental health facility in the northern region to address regional disparities in mental health access. He also pledged to refurbish existing mental health institutions, including the Accra and Pantang psychiatric hospitals, to ensure they are equipped to deliver modern, comprehensive care.
In addition, he spotlighted steps to strengthen community-level services by recruiting and training more mental health officers.
“Accessibility must be matched with quality,” he stressed. The Ministry, he said, will push for a review of the Mental Health Act to improve service delivery and accountability. This includes better support for frontline workers and structures that portray the reality on the ground. “We are building a system that is not only functional but also fair,” he added.
But beyond brick and mortar, the Minister urged citizens to change how they view mental health. “Infrastructure alone is not enough. We must build a culture where people feel safe to talk about their struggles,” he said. He appealed to traditional authorities, opinion leaders, the clergy, and the private sector to lead the charge in creating stigma-free communities where empathy replaces judgment.
The event drew health professionals, civil society advocates, and members of the public, all united by the belief that mental health matters. Hon. Akandoh’s message was clear: mental wellness is not a luxury; it is a necessity. The Purple Month campaign continues throughout May with outreach activities, educational drives, and nationwide engagements aimed at reshaping the country’s mental health narrative.
