Deploy psychologists to schools to combat rising mental health challenges – Dr. Collins Badu urges

Clinical Health Psychologist Dr. Collins Badu is calling for the urgent deployment of trained psychologists and counselors to schools across the country, as a proactive measure to address the growing mental health crisis among students.

Speaking at a mental health forum in Accra, He stated that the increasing vulnerability of young people to severe emotional and psychological stress, and the need for immediate institutional support to prevent long-term consequences.

“In terms of feeling helpless and hopeless, that is one of the biggest challenges. These are young people, any small challenge in life may appear to them as the end of their world.” He said.

His call comes in the wake of alarming statistics from the Mental Health Society of Ghana, which estimates that over 650,000 Ghanaians are currently living with severe mental health conditions. Many of them remain untreated due to stigma, limited access to mental health care, and fear of rejection by family or religious communities.

Dr. Badu further revealed the emotional impact of how schools and families respond to students facing psychological struggles.

“If I’m a parent, I want to understand this, even being invited to the school because of something a child did can deeply affect them. If not managed well, it can become a serious problem. And that’s another major challenge we are facing,” he noted.

He disclosed that early intervention through professional counseling can help young people build resilience, manage emotional challenges, and prevent the escalation of mental health conditions.

Dr. Collins Badu also appealed to government agencies, school administrators, and stakeholders in education to prioritize mental health by integrating full-time counselors into the school system.

Source: Elvisanokyenews.net

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