The Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Ireland (AGPI) held a dinner at the Carlton Hotel in Dublin 15 on Saturday the 21st of May 2011 to promote psychiatric education in Ghana.

The event which was attended by representatives of St John of God Hospitaller Services and St Patrick’s University Hospital was also to recognise the contribution of both institutions to the promotion of psychiatry as a fulfilling career option for Ghanaian medical students.

It would be recalled that the first ever inter-medical school public speaking competition on a mental health topic was held at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra on the 6th of December 2010.

As part of the prize package, two medical students from the University of Ghana Medical School, namely Mr. Micheal Adu-Darko and Mr Isaac Asare Nyampong have been undertaking a four week elective placement at the St John of God Hospital in Dublin since the beginning of this month.

Another two students from the School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, namely Ms Ewuradjoa Ben-Crentsil and Ms. Patience Abla Kuwornoo are also scheduled to arrive in Dublin on the 29th of May 2011 to undertake a similar programme at St Patrick’s University Hospital. In his welcome address, the Chairperson of AGPI Dr Vincent Agyapong explained the rational for the event. He said that Ghanaians in Diaspora have a significant role to play in Ghana’s development. He advised that they should not only criticise situations which are not right in Ghana or engage in empty talk but more rather they should identify problems confronting our country and our societies, propose solutions and more importantly work towards helping to address the problems.

He said mental health care in Ghana was very dear to the heart of the AGPI, and the association is constantly examining ways of helping to modernise the sector. He disclosed that discussions with St Patrick’s University Hospital are at an advanced stage and would soon see four doctors training in psychiatry with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons undertake a three months all expenses paid placement at the hospital annually.

He urged the Government of Ghana to prioritise the passage of the Mental Health Bill as a show of its commitment to improving the development of mental health services in Ghana.

Given his remarks Brother Finnian Gallagher of the St John of God Hospitaller Services expressed his delight with the AGPI initiatives to promote psychiatric education in Ghana. He said he was proud that his institution was associated with such an important project and hoped this was the beginning of a far greater collaboration between his organisation and the AGPI for the greater good of the most vulnerable citizens of Ghana.

Professor Fiona McNicholas, a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist working with the St John of God Hospitaller Services also expressed her support for the work of AGPI. She indicated that 75% of adult mental disorders begin before the age of 15 years and that it was imperative for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in any nation to be given a priority.

Speaking on behalf of the medical students from Ghana, Mr Nyampong Asare said the elective placement in Dublin had completely changed his perspectives about psychiatry. He indicated that he had been impressed with the multidisciplinary approach to the care of patients with mental health difficulties and he was now seriously considering a career in Psychiatry.

In concluding the programme, the Master of ceremonies for the day, Mr Mark Mantey who is also the Director of Policy and Strategic Planning of AGPI expressed his delight with the achievements of the association. He indicated that the association would work even harder to bring greater development to the doorsteps of the most deprived in Ghana.

For more information please visit www.agpireland.org