BasicNeeds-Ghana and its implementation partners held a Programmes’ Implementation Review and Planning Meeting in Tamale from February 21^st to 23rd. The meeting which took place at the International Conference Centre of the Univerisity for Development Studies, was meant to take stock of programme implementation of the 2017 project year and plan for 2018.

Experts from mental health programmes in Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria gathered in London on 16th to 22nd January, 2018 to share learning about the most effective ways to support people with mental health conditions in Africa.The five-day learning event was hosted by BasicNeeds UK, which has been part of the CBM family since 2017. It brought together three organisations that have been working to help people with mental health problems in different parts of Africa – Caritas Nyeri from Kenya, Voice Ghana from Ghana and Gede Foundation from Nigeria – along with BasicNeeds and CBM staff.

Staff of BasicNeeds-Ghana is undergoing a two-day orientation on the protocols of the project titled "Strengthening Mental Health and Research Training (SMART) Africa". The project, which is a pilot study, is part of a larger collaboration among Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and U.S researchers funded by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

BasicNeeds Ghana has donated a computer and its accessories to the Psychiatric Unit of the Mamobi General Hospital. The donation was in response to a request made by the hospital to BasicNeeds-Ghana for support in processing and storing patient hospital records. The items, which were presented at a small ceremony at the hospital on December 20^th, 2017, comprised of an HP Desktop computer, a color printer and an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) unit.

BasicNeeds-Ghana, in collaboration with the mental health staff of the Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal (LEKMA) Hospital held a durbar to sensitise the Chiefs and people of the Ga-Dangme Traditional Area. The durbar, funded by UK aid, was held on November 21, 2017 and was graced by the the Wulomors of the Ga-Dangme Traditional Area as well as their Mankralo and other eminent chiefs and elders of the community.

BasicNeeds-Ghana is a mental health and development advocacy organisation that implements and promotes initiatives to transform the lives of people with mental illness or epilepsy by providing access to integrated mental health care, social and economic services in the communities of Ghana.

In the process, we empower individuals and their families and involve communities and partner with government and other organisations to influence public opinion and policy and enable people with mental illness or epilepsy to live and work successfully in their community.

BasicNeeds-Ghana is a registered Non-Government Organisation in Ghana. Operations of BasicNeeds in Ghana began in 2002, with the establishment of the Northern Ghana Programme to implement and adapt the model for mental health and development in an African context.

The project ‘New initiatives in mental health and development’ was successfully implemented leading to the establishment of another programme in the Accra metropolitan area in 2002 as part of replicating the mental health and development model within an urban context. The experiences of the northern Ghana programme necessitated that the Accra programme pursue the development of a national community mental health service through working with existing mental health institutions.