By King Amoah, Kumasi
A Senior Public Mental Health Officer at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Madam Mavis Asantewaa Opoku has stressed the need for the government to come out with measures that would sanction or punish parents, particularly fathers who neglect their children who live with special mental health conditions.
According to the Health officer, many fathers neglect their responsibilities after they have discovered that I their children have mental health problems.
She cited conditions like autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome among us other neurological and mental health disorders that threaten fathers to leave mothers to bear the emotional and financial burdens alone.
Madam Opoku, who also doubles as the Executive Director of Robb Foundation made the passionate appeal to the government when she was speaking to the media during the Mental Health Forum 2026 held in Accra on Saturday May 15th 2026..
She stressed that caring for children with special needs should not be left to mothers or caregivers alone, but it must be seen as a collective responsibility for it families, communities, health professionals. and government institutions.
On this note Madam Mavis Asantewaa Opoku urged government to introduce legal measures that would compel absentee fathers to remain accountable for the welfare of their children.
Madam Opoku further took advantage of the function to raise concerns about the negligence by some health professionals during childbirth, warning that poor maternal care can contribute to certain mental health and neurological conditions in babies.
The Mental Health Forum 2026 brought together health professionals, caregivers, advocates, and stakeholders to discuss challenges that confront mental healthcare delivery and support systems for persons living with mental health conditions in Ghana.
