MEMBER BLOG: New mental health screening tool in Ghana will support new and expectant mothers
Co-authors: CBM UK and BasicNeeds Ghana
Women with mental health conditions in Ghana often struggle to access maternal health services, which leaves them at higher risk during pregnancy and child birth.
CBM UK and BasicNeeds Ghana’s project aimed to improve maternal and child healthcare in Ghana. Working in partnership with local mental health organisations, a screening tool was developed to help refer women with perinatal mental health conditions for support. The project included mental health training for midwives and health workers, mental health support groups (self-help groups) and livelihood training for pregnant women and mothers with children.
Fred Nantogmah, Project Manager from BasicNeeds Ghana, explains:
“Screening pregnant women and mothers of infants for signs of mental health conditions and referring those in need of mental health care has provided added justification to calls by mental health advocates for the integration of mental health into essential health services. One shudders to think what might have happened to the women who were referred and diagnosed with suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression if none of them had been screened.
This 5-year project has supported over 2,000 women to undertake income generating activities and nearly 7,000 self-help group members to gain knowledge in wellness, breastfeeding, immunization and safe birth has reduced the level of vulnerability among this category and improved their health and economic resilience, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. The peer support groups which these women belong to, have proven to be important networks which have demonstrated to the public what people with mental health disorders can achieve if they are identified early for treatment, supported to engage in income generating activities and equipped with necessary information about their condition to help them make informed choices.
As the project comes to an end, we are particularly happy that key stakeholders from academia and the Ministry of Health and its main agency, the Ghana Health Service, are interested in adapting and integrating the Perinatal Adapted Screening Tool (PAST) into maternal and child health services. Even though it is early yet, we are confident that the advocacy work of the Alliance for Mental Health and Development will see the successful integration of routine mental health screening into perinatal health services.”
Key Findings:
The project created awareness on maternal mental health among healthcare workers and community members, which in turn improved the health and economic wellbeing of vulnerable women and girls.
Screening for mental health illnesses by healthcare workers, among women attending local clinics, led to early identification and treatment of cases.
Self-help groups provided an avenue for women with mental health issues to meet, encourage, motivate and support each other and learn that they were not alone in their challenges, which improved confidence and led to a feeling of belonging. The self-help groups also initiated group savings, to support themselves and each other on a regular basis.
Education on self-care enabled women to take charge of their health and look after themselves and their babies throughout, and after, their pregnancies. This included training on the breastfeeding and the importance of child welfare, which increased bonding with their babies and improved overall health outcomes for their babies.
Livelihood training and support provided women with income generating activities, which increased their ability to take care of their family needs. It also enabled them to buy their medication and manage their mental health, which reduced the chance of relapse or episodes of depression.
Improved collaboration between midwives, mental health officers and other healthcare workers helped in addressing maternal mental health issues.
This project was funded by UK aid from the UK government, by Jersey Overseas Aid and Headley Trust.
About CBM & BasicNeeds
CBM works with local partners to address mental health and disability across developing countries. For 20 years, CBM has been working to improve the lives of people with mental health conditions in the world’s poorest places. Find out more.
BasicNeeds Ghana is a mental health and development advocacy organisation that implements and promotes initiatives to transform the lives of people with mental illness by providing access to integrated mental health care, social and economic services in the communities of Ghana. Find out more.