As the world celebrates World Mental Health Month, the World Health Organization (WHO) says it is important for employers and others in positions of responsibility in the workplace to put in place measures to promote the good mental health of their employees.
It called on employers to have a plan for supporting employees and colleagues with mental health conditions or who may be at risk of suicide.
It says work that is interesting and fulfilling is good for mental health, but a negative working environment of work-related stressors can lead to physical and mental health problems.
WHO further ask that employers provide information sessions for their staff on mental health and suicide prevention, and also ensure all staff know what resources are available for support, both within the organization and in the local community.
Employers should design and implement a plan for how to sensitively manage and communicate the suicide or suicide attempts of an employee in a way that minimizes further distress.
Speaking on the 40 seconds suicide prevention campaign, the WHO Director- General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus encouraged people not to resort to suicide in solving their problems but to always have the mind that there is hope in life.
‘’It doesn’t matter what you go through in life, remember suicide is not the best answer to your problems rather have faith and hope’’, Dr Tedros stressed.
Measures should include the availability of trained health workers and support services for staff.
Signs like expression of thoughts or feeling about wanting to end their life, or talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live among others should be looked out for as some signs of suicides attempt.
A recent data from the Ghana Health Service has revealed that about 41 percent of Ghanaians have some psychological disorder.
Further, the data said 32.4 percent lived with a mental disease while 13 percent of persons with mental disability-adjusted have life years.
BY: LILIAN D. WALTER
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