AmCham CEO’s listening tour to Johnson & Johnson Ghana.

As part of our Listening Tour Series, AmCham Ghana held a strategic dialogue with our member, Johnson & Johnson-Ghana (J&J) last week. The discussion hosted by Mr. Emmanuel Antwi, Country Manager- Ghana, focused on deepening collaboration to strengthen Ghana’s healthcare system, with particular emphasis on prostate cancer and mental health, especially schizophrenia.

Through partnerships with the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Cancer Foundation, the University of Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, J&J continues to promote awareness, early detection of prostate cancer, and mental well-being initiatives across Ghana.

 

Additionally, AmCham indicated commitment to fostering stronger engagement between American companies and key government agencies through a US–Ghana Commercial Dialogue, aimed at enhancing healthcare system strengthening and access to innovation. This initiative aligns with AmCham’s broader mission of building partnerships that drive sustainable health impacts and support Ghana’s social and economic development.’

Johnson and Johnson Holds Mental Health Stakeholders Meeting

Johnson and Johnson Medical Ghana held a stakeholders meeting in Accra on October 25, 2018 to discuss mental health issues. The event which was dubbed Mental Health Stakeholders Meeting was under the theme ‘Carving the Ideal Mental Health Journey Through Strategic Partnerships.’

The event brought together stakeholder from across the health sector, politicians, policy makers and a section of the general public.

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, who was the Chairman of the event assured stakeholders in mental health care that parliament will work towards the passage of the Legislative Instrument (LI) on Ghana’s Mental Health Act.

He said it was unfortunate that the five year old LI had not been passed, particularly so when its passage would help the Mental Health Authority operate efficiently.

According to statistics 41 per cent of Ghanaians had one form of psychological distress or another and 40 per cent of all cases at any general hospital have some relationship with mental health problem.

Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei who was also a speaker at the event said, “Mental illness reduces lifespan by as much as 12 to 20 years and the high suicide rate of 1,500 deaths per year can be attributed to one mental disorder or another.”

The plight of mental health patients and health worker has been worsened with several challenges including lack of adequate funding.  Special guest of honor at the event, Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency, Samira Bawumia attested to the fact of inadequate funding. “We cannot afford to lose workers because they can’t afford mental health care,” She said.

“We cannot be unconcerned and we need to act now. As a nation, it is imperative that we make mental health care a priority,” she stressed, and called for awareness creation on mental health and care.

The Country Manager of Johnson and Johnson, Ms Priscilla Owusu-Sekyere, said Janssen Pharmaceutica, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, was fostering mental health partnerships to ensure that no patient was left behind. She added that, her company is using innovative pricing to make mental health drugs cheaply available to patients.

She said Janssen was leading efforts at transforming mental health care by raising awareness, reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, building the capacity of healthcare professionals and improving access to health care.

On building the capacity of healthcare professionals, Ms Owusu-Sekyere said Janssen had so far sponsored 18 students to undergo a year’s training in mental healthcare delivery and improving access to health care.

Several suggestions were made at the meeting as to how mental health care delivery can be made more accessible, effective and efficient. Some of the suggestions were the inclusion of mental health care delivery into the NHIS, the establishment of a mental health board, the incorporation of mental health care into the general health care system and the preparation of a national prevalence data to guide policy and interventions.

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Johnson and Johnson Ghana to Embark on Mental Health Awareness Campaign

AmCham Ghana Executive Secretary, Simon Madjie paid a courtesy call on  Johnson & Johnson  Medical at their Ghana office. The visit was to interact with Management on the state of business since the company opened its Ghana office in Match 2017.

Mr. Madjie had several discussions with the Management of Johnson and Johnson, notable is the company’s initiative to create mental health awareness among the corporate world and the general public.  Johnson and Johnson Country Manager, Priscilla Owusu-Sekyere said mental illness appears to be common in the country but receives little to no attention.

According to the Ghana Health Service, about 41 percent of Ghanaians have some psychological disorder. For this reason, Ms. Owusu-Sekyere said mental health demanded more attention than it is getting.

Johnson and Johnson has already been doing some work in the area of mental health, in partnership with Basic Needs, they have donated medicine for mental health disorders and therapeutic techniques through gardening projects; the current gardening project benefits over 150 patients and over 100 care givers.

According Ms. Owusu-Sekyere, the current campaign will focus on schizophrenia, depression and other mental health illnesses.

Johnson & Johnson in Match 2017 announced the expansion of its operations in Africa with the launch of a new office in Accra, Ghana. The company’s new presence has brought together multiple teams representing Johnson & Johnson consumer, medical device, pharmaceutical and global public health (GPH) organizations to deliver an integrated approach to improving health outcomes in the region.