Deputy CEO for the Mental Health Authority of Ghana, Dr. Vivian Maame Aba Dadzie has urged health professionals to prioritize self-care when dealing with traumatic patient cases to help prevent burnout and ensure provision of quality healthcare.

This call comes as Ghana's mental health sector faces significant challenges, including limited access to care, shortage of trained professionals, and persistent cultural misconceptions.

She underscored traumatization as a big issue affecting the country's healthcare profession, thus cautioned health workers, particularly those at the mental health sector to maintain professional boundaries by balancing empathy with self-protection through the utilization of institutional resources by attending church programs, meditating, dancing, and also seek peer support to aid them prioritize mental well-being to sustain resilience.

Dr. Aba Dadzie hinted this at the 22nd matriculation and 13th graduation ceremony of the Ankaful Psychiatric Nurses' Training College on Thursday, November 13, 2025, on the theme "Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies- The Role of the Mental Health Training Institutions."

She emphasized that by taking adequate care of themselves, health professionals can better support patients and maintain a healthy work-life as well as help address Ghana's growing mental health crisis.

The ceremony saw the matriculation of 136 Registered Community Mental Health Nurses as well as 208 Registered Mental Health Nurses, with 141 students graduating as nurses with Diploma in Registered Mental Health, whereas 107 learners graduated with Diploma in Registered Community Mental Health.

Ms. Felicia Asarebea Obeng Ansah, Acting Principal of the Ankaful Psychiatric Nurses' Training College, having took time to highlight some achievements chopped by the college over the years, also enumerated on a number of challenges affecting the institution which she shared optimism that through the help of the Health Ministry, chiefs and other stakeholders, those challenges can be addressed.

She bemoaned that the college is confronted by inadequate classroom space to accomodate the growing number of learners, limited hostel facilities for both male and female students, and the mechanization of temporal staff, many of whom she noted have dedicated over ten (10) years of service to the institution without permanent employment.

The Acting Principal further opined on the need for additional vehicles to support administrative, academic and outreach activities together with the upgrading of teaching and learning equipments including stimulation and laboratory materials to meet tertiary education standards.

Hannah Essel and Stephen Saah, both valedictorians for the graduating class of Registered Mental Health Nurses and Registered Community Mental Health Nurses in a media engagement, encouraged colleague young students to focus adequately on their books and not allow themselves get distracted by whatever challenge they may encounter in their educational journey, but strive for academic excellence.

Sompaonline.com//Eric Annan