BasicNeeds-Ghana has trained 31 traditional and Faith-based Healers in the Northern region.
Participants were trained on how to identify symptoms of psychological trauma, consequences, and management.
The practitioners, comprising 25 male and six females were trained from Tamale Metropolis and Zabzugu District
Mr. Hannan Legend, who facilitated with BasicNeeds-Ghana admonished participants to eschew dehumanizing methods of providing care to clients in order to ensure sustainable rehabilitation for all.
According to him, it was no secret that Traditional and Faith-based Healers were the first point of call for many families when they encounter mental illness.
Several reasons account for this reality, he said.
He indicated that two of such are people’s perception of mental illness and insufficiency of formal health facilities and for these reasons, these unorthodox care givers remain relevant in the mental health delivery system of Ghana.
“Unfortunately, their services leave so much to desire. Uncouth methods are still being used and Human Rights abuses are still commonplace in most of the prayer camps and healing centres,” he said.
Mr. Legend noted that it was to address this challenge that BasicNeeds-Ghana and MEHSOG with funding from DIGNITY-Danish Institute Against Torture are taking measures to promote sustainable rehabilitation and human rights in the work of these traditional and faith-based healers.
He said a series of activities are being organized for them including trainings and relationship building sessions, adding that last year a training on Trauma-Informed Approach to dealing with Psychological Trauma was organized.
“The follow-up training on trauma-informed approach is part of a project title, strengthening access to timely and quality rehabilitation to survivors to Torture and Organized Violence (TOV) in Ghana.”
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale