Counseling Psychologists Join Forces With GHS To Provide Mental Health To COVID-19 Patients

The Ghana Psychological Association has been roped into the framework of the Ghana Health Service to provide psychological services to victims of the Coronavirus and those under quarantine.

Vice President of the Association, Collins Badu Agyemang has revealed a number of psychologists have been deployed to help the Ghana Health Service in ensuring the victims develop good mental health.

Speaking at a press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information in Accra, Mr Badu Agyemang noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has potentially devastated some people and it is, therefore, more apparent that the services of psychologists are more than ever needed to defuse panic in the citizenry, particularly those infected by the virus.

He stated that the psychological virus attacking people in the wake of the current epidemic is disturbing but the Association has up their work by collaborating with the Health Service, engaging in person-to-person counselling where they give hope as well as encourage those, as a result of the virus, are in isolation.

“Think of the disease-related anxieties, family members who may possibly; they were at home waiting to welcome their loved ones who are travelling from abroad. Think of those who may have been isolated out of love. They were coming for holidays; some have left their children there. They are here because of the extreme love they’re showing to Ghanaians, they need to isolate themselves. What may be going on in their minds? Some may have taken leave to come to Ghana for a short while. In most cases, if you are in abroad, coming to Ghana for a visit may not be more than 2-3 weeks and some of them are here. A lot may be going on in their mind and these ones we have been supporting them drastically," he said empathetically.

He assured the victims that the Psychologists are with them every step in the way till full recovery and those under quarantine are able to join their families.

“Think of the work of the Counseling Psychologists. Those who have been entertaining morbid fear, fear of the unknown, uncertainty; Counseling Psychologists are helping these ones to indeed draw on their strength and then the various responses they have so they can be confident that they will certainly go through," he said.