Dr. Samuel Mampunza touched on some of the challenges and perspectives we encountered in the development of our work with the mentally ill.
Thursday, december 11
Today Thursday, we have had Dr. Samuel Mampunza, Neuropsychiatrist in our midst, he presented the state of affairs of mental health in sub-Saharan Africa, and he touched on some of the challenges and perspectives we encountered in the development of our work with the mentally ill.
The methodology he used is as follows:
– The statement of the theme under discussion
– Group interaction
– Group work
– Group sharing
Dr. Mampumza started with some basics about Psychiatry and mental health, with emphasis on the importance of taking care of all aspects: promotion of wellbeing, prevention of mental health problems, treatment and rehabilitation of patients. He also explained the difference between mental disturbance, mental illness and psychological suffering.
He highlighted the need of knowing the culture of the country where we do our work to better understand the sick and to adapt treatment, as well as the importance of involving the community in this process.
Among other factors that affect mental health it poverty, wars, continuous stress, infectious diseases, malaria etc can be included.
After the presentation we meet in groups to reflect on possible clues of solution at the level of: human resources, infrastructure, community and sisters.
In the afternoon we share the work of the groups. Once this subject was finished, Dr Mampumza presents the subject “Epilepsy and Mental Health” a theme we all felt was very enriching.
Late in the afternoon we have the visit of Most Rev. Mathias Kobina Nketsiah, Archbishop of Cape Coast, he addressed us in few words to welcome us to the Archdiocese at the same time he reminded us that this first meeting in Ghana has a special meaning since the first evangelization began in these coasts, and today we are the ones to continue with the proclamation of the Gospel.
