Care and Action in Mental Health for Africa (CAMHA) is a Non-Governmental organization, registered in Ghana with the principal aim of promoting mental health care in Ghana and across Africa. As part of our effort in promoting metal health in Ghana, we launched our maiden mental health sports festival in May,2016 and presented sport items to the three Psychiatric Hospitals in Ghana, with the aim to prepare for the main event in October, same year.

Care and Action in Mental Health for Africa (CAMHA) is a Non-Governmental organization, registered in Ghana with the principal aim of promoting mental health care in Ghana and across Africa. As part of our effort in promoting metal health in Ghana, we launched our maiden mental health sports festival in May,2016 and presented sport items to the three Psychiatric Hospitals in Ghana, with the aim to prepare for the main event in October, same year.

The introduction of annual sports event in mental health care in Ghana, in May 2016 was one of CAMHA’s initiatives. Using sport as a platform to create mental health awareness and solicit for support in caring for people with mental health problems has been an exciting annual event.
The event for this year was launched on 1st of May 2019 in collaboration of PsychHealth Foundation Ghana, with the theme; Let’s Talk about suicide prevention. The founder of CAMHA, gave a brief background of the organization and its activities, the importance of physical activities and mental Health Care.

The director of Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Pinaman Appau, spoke about the prevalence of Suicide in Ghana, the importance of physical activities in mental and physical wellbeing of in every population. She commended the efforts of CAMHA and PsycHealth. She took the opportunity to encourage the staff of Ghana’s Premier Private TV station, TV3 and members of the public who were present to support mental health programs in the country. She then declared CAMHA Mental Health Sports Festival Officially Launched.

The main event will be on 17th October,2019 and will involve patients and staff from the three psychiatric hospitals. They will be competing for trophies and medal in football and volleyball.

There was a curtain Raiser football match between the staff and patients of Accra Psychiatric Hospital and the staff of TV3. The Staff of TV3 won the match (by scoring their opponent two goals to none). They were awarded a trophy and gold medals. The Accra Psychiatry Team were also awarded with Silver medals. The trophy and the medals were sponsored by Ghanaian Nurses Association, Midlands, United Kingdom.

After the event, CAMHA officials contacted, Wembley Construction Limited, for possible construction of half football pitch (Astro Turf) within premises of Accra Psychiatric Hospital. Sports infrastructure plays an important role in promotion of mental health and wellbeing in our population. Both Pantang Hospital and Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital have access to a football pitch, therefore it will be good for Accra Psychiatric Hospital to have access a football pitch.

Thank you

Ebenezer Akonnor Fianko
Project Coordinator, CAMHA.