Tema-Ghana, Oct. 04, GNA – Mr. Pious Tay, the Mental Health Coordinator for the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, says mental health is a global right everyone must enjoy.
He explained mental health as the “outward manifestation of sound intrapersonal and interpersonal interaction with environmental implications.”
“Being able to interact well with people and adjust to environmental changes can be a good sign of mental health,” Mr. Tay said.
The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilize efforts in support of mental health.
The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
Mr. Tay was speaking at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! A Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative aimed at promoting health-related communication and providing a platform for health information dissemination to influence personal health choices through improved health literacy.
The Ghana News Agency’s Tema Regional Office developed the public health advocacy platform “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” to investigate the components of four health communication approaches: informing, instructing, convincing, and promoting.
This is observed on October 10 under the subject “Mental Health is a Universal Right,” to raise public awareness of mental health, inform them of the risk factors for mental health problems, and provide them with some preventive strategies.
To enhance mental health and prevent mental disease, Mr. Tay emphasised that it should be protected, fulfilled, and actualized. He also urged the people to take positive steps to avoid anything that could impede their welfare.
Due to the fact that “workload and an unpleasant working environment can pose a threat to one’s mental health,” he recommended business owners to provide a calm setting for employees to work in.
This year’s observance, which has the topic “Mental Health is a Universal Right,” is to raise awareness of mental health, inform the public about its risk factors, and suggest some preventive actions.
It is observed on October 10.
“The right to be protected from mental health risks; the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care; and the right to liberty, independence, and inclusion in the community.
“Our physical and emotional health are interdependent, “however, one in eight people worldwide live with mental health conditions, which can have an impact on their physical health, well-being, social relationships, and livelihoods.”
Mr. Tay observed that a person’s mental health condition should never be used as justification for denying them their human rights or for keeping them out of discussions about their own health.
“Yet people with mental health issues continue to face a variety of human rights violations on a global scale,” he noted.
He stated that “many are marginalized from community life and subject to discrimination, while many more cannot access the mental health care they require or can only access care that infringes upon their human rights.”
