User-led approaches in Ghana: a reflection and response to ‘Strengthening the call to involve mental health care service users and their families in psychosocial rehabilitation programmes’ (WAPR bulletin 51)
Elsie (Adwoa) Dapaah (1), Esenam Drah (2), James Sambian (3), Lyla Adwan-Kamara (4)
(1) Advisory Group member and legal officer at Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice
(2) Advisory Group member and mental health advocate
(3) Advisory Group member
(4) Team leader on Ghana Somubi Dwumadie
This article responds to a paper in WAPR bulletin 51 on ‘Strengthening the call to involve mental health care service users and their families in psychosocial rehabilitation programmes’, and reflects on what we can learn and what we can share from the programme we’ve been involved in.
Ghana Somubi Dwumadie (Ghana Participation Programme) is a four-year disability programme in Ghana, with a specific focus on mental health. This programme is funded with UK Aid from the UK government. The programme is run by an Options’ led consortium, which also consists of BasicNeeds-Ghana, Kings College London, Sightsavers and Tropical Health. The overall goal of the programme was to ensure that ‘all people with disabilities and mental health conditions are engaged, empowered, and able to enjoy improved wellbeing, social and economic outcomes and rights’…