Dean for the School of Nursing at the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Jerry Paul Ninnoni has shared frustration over the state at which mental health is valued in Ghana.

According to him, mental health is the right of every individual, hence the need to prioritize it everywhere one finds himself in the country, as he bemoaned the fact that access to mental health remains a great challenge to the nation.

He said this at the 21st matriculation and 12th graduation ceremony of the Ankaful Nursing Training College in the Central Region, dubbed, "Prioritizing Mental Health Everywhere: The Role Of Mental Health Nursing Students" on Thursday.

The ceremony saw revered personalities like Prof. Moses Kojo Eghan who chaired the event, Prof.  Jacob Setorgto who represented the Vice Chancellor of UCC, Nana Hemaa Obidombi Ntow l, Kronti-Dompea of Akim Akropong, Nana Dr. Kojo Krah l, Chief of Tsikweikrom and the Oguaa Omankorahene, ADO1 Ama Baidoo-Acquah, rep for the Regional Fire Commander, among others all gracing it.

Prof. Jerry Paul Ninnoni with dismay remarked the treatment gap to mental health in the country to be hovering around 98%, as only 2% out of the total Ghanaian population turns to seek mental health whenever the need arises.

The university lecturer further admonished to be a strong stigma associated with mental health in the country, which poses a challenge in preventing people from seeking the health they need and the reason the condition of most people grows chronic before they resort to seeking services on mental health.

Principal for the Ankaful Nursing Training College, Simon Dogedoung, in his address charged graduands to be ambassadors of mental health wherever they find themselves, whether in the country or outside Ghana.

He outlined the school's infrastructural inadequacy to be causing a challenge of non-accommodation for both teaching and non-teaching staffs of the college, coupled with a limited space for computer laboratory, encroachment on parts of the school's lands.

Moreso, non-mechanisation of the college's temporal casual staffs has sort to become a challenge and draining the little Internally Generated Fund of the school, alongside the need for a hostel facility for the increasing number of student population. 

Seida Anderson, the overall best graduating student following her award, encouraged fellow female students to persevere through their academic journey with discipline, determination and the God-factor.

The matriculation ceremony witnessed a total number of 446 matriculants admitted into the college, with 246 of them set to offer Diploma in Registered Community Mental Nursing (RCMN) and the other 200 students offering Diploma in Registered Mental Nursing (RMN).

However, a total of 240 students graduated from the college, with 101 students graduating with a Diploma in Community Psychiatric Nursing (CPN) and 139 of them passing out with a Diploma in RMN.

Sompaonline.com/Eric Annan