A two-day workshop training has been organized for media personnel in Takoradi by the Mental Health Authority (MHA). The workshop focused on giving journalists the requisite training on effective reporting on mental health.
The workshop themed, ‘Strengthening and Transforming Mental Health Reportage in the Ghanaian Media’, was to equip the journalists with information on mental health.
The Medical Director at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Professor Akwasi Osei spoke on proper reportage on mental health and called on journalists to be sensitive when it comes to their reportage on suicide.
He opined that giving a vivid description of how suicide was committed tends to influence and expose several others with the same intent to attempt it.
“If you give a vivid description of how another person went through and succeeded they would take it as an opportunity to do same. So even though it’s a news item do not describe the scene, “he stated.
This he described as copycat suicides.
He moreover expressed worry over jokes made with issues of suicide when reporting, especially in the local language.
This he said, takes out the original purpose of the reportage which is to inform and educate.
Dr Osei added that suicide needs to be decriminalized as such people need help and not to be criminalized.
Other dignitaries at the training including Head of Mental Health Promotion, Dr Yaw Amankwa Arthur, similarly emphasized the need for journalists to use suitable words and phrases in describing mentally challenged persons in the course of reporting on mental health.
The Deputy Director of Mental Health, Dr Amma Boadu mentioned that mental health illness can be treated and encouraged people to take their mental health issues seriously.
Nana Acheampong, a lecturer at the African University stated the media is a powerful tool through the information that can be channelled to reach lots of people. He admonished that, the media projects education and information on mental health and offer advocacy for stakeholders to invest in the mental health sector.
Finally, Dr Caroline Amissah advised media operators to consistently check their mental health status and take a break from work to improve their mental health.
Some participants expressed gratitude to the Authority for the workshop and assured of focusing on proper reportage with regards to mental health.
“For me, it has been an eye opener for me especially in reporting on mental health. I have learnt to avoid using words such as commits suicide and madness but rather say or report that a person who is suffering from mental health illness,” a participant noted.
