By Frank Kwame Abbor, GNA
Ho, Oct. 3, GNA – Mr Christian Vorlato, a mental health nurse from Anyanui in the Anloga District, has been adjudged the Overall Best Health Worker in the Volta Region for his outstanding contribution to community-based mental healthcare.
He received a double-door refrigerator and a washing machine as his prize, at the awards ceremony held as part of the Volta Regional celebration of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) Week.
Madam Comfort Neequaye of the Kpando Municipality placed second, while Madam Cynthia Bamehi Jebumi of the Akatsi South District took the third position.
The prizes for the award winners were sponsored by Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Minister of Roads and Member of Parliament for Adaklu.
The Volta Regional Branch of the GRNMA launched its week-long celebration on Wednesday, September 30, in Ho, on the theme: “Our Nurses, Our Future: Empowered Nurses Save Lives.”
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Vorlato said his work focused on identifying people with mental health conditions living on the streets, supporting their treatment and helping them reintegrate into society.
He described the situation of people with mental health conditions on the streets as a serious concern, saying society had gradually become accustomed to seeing them without recognising that interventions could help them recover.
“Some of us realise that there is a solution. Instead of waiting in the facilities for them to come to us, we look for them on the streets,” he said.
He explained that the intervention involved locating the individuals, cleaning them up, engaging their relatives and initiating treatment with their consent, followed by continuous monitoring and support.
“When they recover, we find ways to integrate them economically and support them in whatever way can make them stable,” he said.
Mr Vorlato said the initiative had so far supported 97 cases, with 72 people making full recoveries and reintegrating into their communities.
He said some beneficiaries had become self-reliant, were caring for their families, entered relationships and started families following their recovery and reintegration.
He attributed the progress to sustained care, community support and the commitment to reaching people who might otherwise remain without access to treatment.
The GRNMA week celebration is expected to highlight the contribution of nurses and midwives to healthcare delivery and the need to strengthen their capacity to provide quality services to communities.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo