Mental Health Awareness Month: Asafohene leads mental health screening exercise at Asafo Palace
The Psychiatry Unit of Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, in collaboration with Asafohene Akyeamfo Asafo Boakye Agyemang Badu, has organised a mental health screening and awareness programme for residents of Asafo in Kumasi.
The exercise took place at the Asafo Palace on Friday, May 15, 2026, as part of activities marking Purple Month of May.
The event aimed to raise awareness about mental health issues and educate the public on available solutions and treatment options.
Asafohene Akyeamfo Asafo Boakye Agyemang Badu became the first to undergo screening at the programme, demonstrating the importance of regular mental health check-ups.
He commended the hospital’s Psychiatry Unit for the initiative, describing the exercise as “timely, beneficial and necessary for the wellbeing of the community.”
Speaking on behalf of the unit’s lead clinicians, Psychiatrist Dr. Pearl Adu Nyarko said stigma remains one of the biggest barriers preventing people from seeking help.
“Many people living with mental health conditions are often neglected and discriminated against, making their situation worse,” Dr. Adu Nyarko noted.
She urged the public to stop stigmatizing persons with mental health conditions and to show them love, care and support instead.
She cautioned that continued discrimination and neglect could lead to severe emotional trauma and even suicidal cases if affected persons do not get urgent attention.
Residents who participated said the education had enlightened them on mental health issues and preventive measures to help avoid illness.
Source: Ghana/iotecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng/Diana Asare
