Ghana, like most African countries, is a country where issues surrounding mental health are still treated with so much stigma and neglect. As a result, cultural practices that view mental illness as strange, “un-African”, and thus, foreign.
However, a quiet revolution is going on. Slowly but steadily, Ghana is beginning to witness a change in direction through the recent rise of mental health startups in the country. This is a very massive improvement in Ghana’s mental health. What it means is that people are not just becoming more aware and concerned, but they are also actively creating structures to combat the mental health crisis.
These structures are coming in the form of innovative startup ventures aimed at solving different mental health challenges in the country and, potentially, other countries on the continent. These pioneer efforts are using technology, community engagement and expert support to bridge the gaps in mental health care in Ghana. In 2024, the World Health Organisation estimated that 1 in 5 Ghanaians are suffering from one form of mental illness or the other. That’s 20% of the country’s population, and it poses a great challenge.
The Gap in Traditional Mental Health Services
Mental health in Ghana is lagging behind as far as necessary mental health care is concerned. A lot of deficiencies exist in Ghana’s mental health care system. First and foremost, as a country still grappling with cultural stigma on mental illness, there is hardly any working system for mental health care.
Apart from this, existing traditional mental health services face the challenge of accessibility. Many Ghanaians live in rural areas that are not open to accessible health care. Even those living in urban areas still struggle with accessing needed care at existing facilities. Government corruption and limited funding compound the problems faced by the health care system, to the detriment of millions of Ghanaians in need of attention. In addition to this, there is a lack of enough experts and qualified professionals in the field.
Emergence of Mental Health Startups
To address the above deficiencies, many tech-driven and innovative startups are being founded to bridge the gap. This is made possible by the increasing democratization of innovative technology and information. These mental health startups are leveraging these to create systems that can solve Ghana’s mental health problems.
Key Startups
Berry Health
This is one of the largest startups. It offers teleconsultations for conditions like anxiety, depression, and sexual health. With an aim to fight the stigma surrounding mental health in Africa, it has a subscription-based platform to give its customers remote diagnosis, access to clinical psychologists, and options to deliver medication.
Massira
This startup was founded in 2019 to provide a safe space for women to talk about mental, sexual, and reproductive health. This model effectively allows these women to discuss sensitive issues about their health, especially mental health. Though in its early stages, the startup has been able to raise seed funding to increase its scale and impact.
Hewale Health
When you think of telemedicine solutions, you think of Hewale Health. The digital health startup has also been active in providing mental health services to its customers. It allows its users to meet with medical professionals and experts virtually, changing the game of accessibility by increasing access to healthcare services for people who are currently unable to get them through traditional mental health services.
Challenges Facing Ghana’s Mental Health Startups
These startups are facing serious issues with funding and resource limitations. Ghana is a developing country that is still trying to create a healthy business environment where startups can thrive. Lack of funding and resources remains a threat to the growth and success of businesses, most especially startups.
Also, Ghana’s mental health startups still have to fight through stigma and cultural barriers around mental health issues. Inasmuch as the atmosphere is changing quickly, these barriers still exist, and they can potentially affect how successful these startups can be.
Lastly, there are many regulatory infrastructure challenges. Technological innovations often need the right tech infrastructure to facilitate them.
Prospects of Ghana’s Mental Health Startups
It is difficult to predict what the future holds for these startups. However, we should see positive impacts on Ghana’s mental health in the coming years as more people access online services. Coupled with the increase, this is coupled with mental wellness on social media and important offline groups. Also, with the level of political stability Ghana has been enjoying, it is not out of place to expect a greater economic outlook in the near future as more investment and the needed resources become available to Ghana’s mental health startups.
