Accra, Aug. 3, GNA – Mr Hannan Legend, a Project Coordinator for Basic Needs Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has called for a national discourse on Torture and Organised Violence.
That, he said, would give it prominence for the necessary action to be taken by the appropriate institutions to alleviate the suffering of victims or survivors of Torture and Organised Violence for sustainable rehabilitation.
Mr Legend was speaking at the end of a learning session on a project titled: “Strengthening Access to timely and quality rehabilitation to survivors of Torture and Organised Violence (TOV) in Ghana.”
The project was implemented in the Northern and Southern zones by Basic Needs Ghana and the Mental Health Society of Ghana.
Mr Legend said it revealed that people exposed to trauma were not seeking help due to mistrust between formal and informal mental health care providers.
It also revealed that stigma against people with mental health and psychosocial needs were still high, he said.
Mr Legend said Basic Needs had begun another project, which builds on the results and learnings from the pilot project implemented in Ghana from 1st September 2018 to 28th February, 2019.
He said the current project, dubbed: “Building informed ground for strengthening access to rehabilitation of survivors of TOV,” seeks to strengthen access to timely and quality rehabilitation by survivors.
“The project seeks to improve access to rehabilitation through trauma-informed mental health and psychosocial support for trauma-affected people in four districts of Ghana,” Mr Legend said.
“This is through organisational capacity development of partners and formal and informal health structures, and by increasing awareness and promoting enforcement of laws and policies at the local and national levels,” he said.
He called for the training of more professionals in the management of TOV.
GNA