Tamale, On 10 October 2022, in Sagnarigu, Northern Region, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Ghana, in collaboration with BasicNeeds Ghana, the Ghana psychological association, the Paramount Chief of the Sagnarigu Traditional Area and returned migrants, marked World Mental Health Day with a series of community interventions bringing together migrants, government officials and traditional leaders, self-help group members, returnees, community members, the youth, and migration stakeholders to reflect on this year’s global theme – “Making Mental Health and Wellbeing for All A Global Priority”. It was an occasion to discuss related topics such as safe migration, irregular migration, stigmatization, reintegration, mental health and wellbeing.

IOM Ghana organized a series of community interventions in Sagnarigu including a durbar, radio talk shows, community awareness and sensitization activity as well as capacity building for migration stakeholders and the country office to mark the day under the sub theme “Making Mental Health and Wellbeing of All Migrants a Priority.”

The durbar, which was hosted by His Royal Highness, Naa Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai, Paramount Chief of the Sagnarigu Traditional Area, brought together returnees, migrants, self-help group members, students and community members. In attendance was the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Shani Alhassan Shaibu and the United Nations in Ghana Doctor Dr. Abanda Tueche. In his speech, the Paramount Chief urged all to embrace migrants and desist from stigmatization for the wellbeing and mental health of returned migrants.

The radio talk shows were used to create awareness on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) issues. During the discussions, IOM Ghana’s Psychosocial Project Assistant, Robert Ketor explained the need to seek help and shared basic coping mechanisms for individuals to reduce stress and depression. Project Manager, Florian Braendli also highlighted IOM’s role in supporting migrants to return voluntarily and connecting them to the various forms of support available. A community member also called in to contribute during the discussion and expressed his views on the need to seek mental health care to reduce stigmatization. “I want to urge stakeholders to carry out awareness raising campaigns in the hard-to-reach rural areas where stigmatization of people with mental illness, especially epileptic patients are on the rise” he added.

IOM Ghana collaborated with the Ghana Psychological Association and BasicNeeds Ghana to hold a one-day capacity building training on MHPSS for staff of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to equip them with skills related to migrants' mental health as well as victims of disaster for a holistic approach to reintegration. A participant of the training said, “The training was very timely and needed as we come across a lot of stressed and traumatized victims and this training has equipped me with more skills in dealing with the victims as well as myself.”

During the community awareness and sensitization activities, returnees shared their stories of migration, return and reintegration to encourage the youth not to risk their lives searching for better employment opportunities elsewhere. The community was reminded to embrace - and not stigmatize - returnees and migrants and seek help from mental health professionals in the hospital as well as community based trained volunteers when needed.

“At IOM, we apply innovative and integrated approaches that involve reintegration at individual, community, and structural level. The holistic approach also recognizes the effect that irregular migration has on the mental and physical well-being of a returnees and therefore includes a psychosocial component,” said Psychosocial Project Assistant, Robert Ketor.

Staff of IOM Ghana were also included in the celebration. They engaged in “Make Someone Smile” week and wrote words of affirmation to appreciate colleagues and the work they do in the office. There was also a presentation on “Mental Health and You, Mental Health and Migrants” delivered by the National Migration Physician, Dr. Kwakofi, to equip staff to better understand their mental health to be able to assist migrants in making mental health of migrants a priority.

“As a staff, it can get routinely and that is why I encourage you to take a break and take good care of your mental health. When you are stressed, use MAGIC: Mindfulness; Active; Generous; Indulge; stay Connected. Remember, if you are healthy, migrants will be healthy too” said Dr. Kwakofi.

The World Mental Health Day 2022 activities were realized with funding from the Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Ghana and its Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration (GGC).

For more information, please contact Robert Ketor, Psychosocial Project Assistant at IOM Ghana, Email: rketor@iom.int