A Deputy Director of Quality and Rights at Mental Health Authority, Mrs Akorfa Akpanya Hlorvor, has warned that, it is illegal to dismiss employee with mental disorder.
According to lawyer Akorfa, any business owner who sacks employee with mental health issues has breached the law.
Quoting from the Mental Health Act 2021, the lawyer read “Any employer that terminates appointment of a staff based on mental health condition violates the law’.
Educating the public on the Rights of Mental Health Patients on My Lawyer My Counselor Show, hosted by Daakyehene Ofosu Agyeman, the lawyer revealed that, any business owner who flaunts the law, could be fine or jailed for not more than two years.
She added that, those with mental issues also have fundamental human rights that needs to be protected.
Lawyer Akorfa finally warned Health practitioners and prayer camps to desist from chaining mental health patients since that practice has also been declared illegal.
Watch the video below;
What is mental health?
Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It is all about how people think, feel, and behave. People sometimes use the term “mental health” to mean the absence of a mental disorder.
A study by charity group Help Musicians UK shows that 60 percent of musicians suffer from one mental health disorder due to relationship issues and in most cases their desire to keep up standards to please fans.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) globally over 250 million people regardless of culture, age, gender, religion, race, or economic status suffer from depression.
Celebrities Who’ve Battled Mental Health Issues
Conversations around mental health is no longer a taboo. Today, many celebrities around the world are normalizing the mental health topic through their various platforms.
The likes of Tonto Dikeh (Nigerian actress), AKA (South African rapper). Below are few of the hundreds African stars who have openly shared their struggles with mental health conditions in the past.
18th October 2021, Popular Comedian and actor Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng known as Funny Face was referred to the Psychiatric Hospital for re-examination by the Kaneshie District Court.
Funny Face who has a history of a mental health issue without provocation, went berserk on his Instagram page where he verbally assaulted some personalities including Fada Dickson, Bola Ray, and Adebayor.
He also threatened to kill his ex-lover and mother of his twins, Vannessa Nicole.
2. MzVee
MzVee shared the real story behind her absence in the music industry.
According to the singer in an interview on TV3 with Berla Mundi she had a mental breakdown which left her super depressed for two years over matters of relationship and family.
3. Adomaa
Ghanaian singer and actress, Adomaa, has revealed she had to pull the reins on her music career because it got to a time, she broke down and could not continue any longer.
In an exclusive interview with AmeyawTV on May 17, the ‘Be Your Own Beautiful’ singer opened up about how the music business put her in a bad mental health state to the point of being suicidal and needing therapy to heal.
By Afia Owusu/Myxyzonline.com|Ghana