Wa, Sept. 30, GNA - The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has expressed its concern about the current deplorable state of mental healthcare in the country and the continuous undue delay in passing and implementing the Mental Health Bill more than one year after its drafting. The association called on the government to show greater sensitivity to the current deplorable state of mental health in the country and to speedily pass and implement the Mental Health Bill. It says it would undertake to build a national coalition of advocates from civil society, professional bodies and the media for comprehensive mental health reform.

These were contained in a communiqu=E9 issued at the end of the 5th National Executive Council meeting of the GMA held in Wa. Dr. Francis Adu-Ababio, President of the Association and Dr. Kwabena Opoku-Adusei, General Secretary of the Association, signed the communiqu=E9.

The GMA expressed concerns about the Medical and Dental Council's unfair, unjustified and arbitrary increments in the annual retention fees of doctors but with absolutely no regard for building the professional competence of the doctors.

On the recent flood disaster that hit the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, the GMA expressed its worry about the havoc it caused to life and property and donated 3,000 Ghana Cedis to the National Disaster Relief Fund for the upkeep of the victims. It also expressed similar concern about the tragic gas explosion in the Ashanti Region and called on the government and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to strengthen the national preparedness and response to future disasters such as floods and fire outbreaks

The communiqu=E9 urged the government to pay attention to matters pertinent to town planning, especially the location of gas stations within residential communities.

The GMA deliberated on various issues concerning the association as well as the health of the people at the meeting. 30 Sept 07