STAKEHOLDERS PUSH FOR WIDER SOCIAL PROTECTION ACCESS FOR VULNERABLE MOTHERS WITH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
A broad-based group of stakeholders in the Ashaiman Municipality convened at the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly to discuss and build consensus on addressing gaps in access to social protection for vulnerable, pregnant and postpartum women experiencing depression, anxiety, and related mental health conditions.
The meeting was organized under an Expertise France-funded project titled “Strengthening community health systems to enhance integrated people-centred HIV, TB, SRH and MHPSS for vulnerable women and adolescents in Ghana” and implemented by BasicNeeds-Ghana and other partners in 14 districts.
The rationale of the engagmnent was aimed at addressing the economic inequalities and systemic barriers that prevent vulnerable populations, including people living with HIV, TB, gender-based violence, and mental health conditions from accessing existing government social intervention programs.
Key national schemes of benefit to target groups included the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, the Disability Common Fund, and the 0.5% Common Fund allocation that supports Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) programmes.
Stakeholders resolved to build a strong consensus to make these government schemes truly inclusive by ensuring economic support and social protection reach the individuals who need them most, reducing gender-based disparities and expanding equal access to public resources across the municipality
The discussion was led by the consultant, Hon. Abdullah Abubakar, and coordinated by Mr. Dominic Wunigura, the Programme Coordinator with BasicNeeds-Ghana, focused on strengthening the link between maternal mental health screening and care at antenatal (ANC) and postnatal (PNC) services and national social protection programmes.
“This engagement brings together policy implementors, duty bearers, and target beneficiaries of social protection programmes so we can find ways to make these services more inclusive and accessible,” said Mr. Dominic Wunigura, Programme Coordinator for BasicNeeds-Ghana.
In her welcome address, the Municipal Co-ordinating Director, Ms. Jemima Apedo, emphasised the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable women. She reaffirmed her institution, the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly’s commitment to working with partners to remove barriers that prevent pregnant and postpartum women from accessing both mental health support and social protection schemes.
Speakers underscored that routine screening and psychoeducation or counselling in ANC and PNC settings can help pregnant women and new mothers manage anxiety and depression. They also noted that many women living with mental health issues, HIV, TB, and survivors of Gender-Based Violence face economic and gender-based inequalities that limit their ability to benefit from government safety nets.
Representatives from these agencies, including the Social Services Subcommittee, NHIA, the Social Welfare Department, HIV-focused groups, and people with experience of HIV, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and mental health conditions, presented on barriers to access and inclusion.
Some of the barriers identified include non-membership in associations, low awareness, stigma, inability of formidable groups to access funds, and unavailability of certain drugs.
Participants worked to build consensus on the main obstacles service users face when trying to use social protection schemes, and to identify practical steps to improve equitable access for vulnerable groups across the country. Presentations from the NHIS and the Social Welfare Department outlined existing provisions and highlighted gaps needing policy and administrative attention.
The engagement brought policymakers and service users together to strengthen local governance and ensure economic support and social protection reach the most vulnerable, while promoting gender equity and equal access to public resources.
Participants pledged commitment to continue stakeholder collaboration, document identified barriers, and produce actionable recommendations to enhance national-level access and inclusion for vulnerable people in government programmes.
ASHMA/ISD/MEDIA/27TH AUGUST, 2026.
