TheMental Health Authority has begun steps to close a spiritual healing centre in Kumasi where more than 2,000 people with mental health conditions are reportedly being kept.

Chief Executive of the Mental Health Authority, Dr Eugene Kobla Dordoye, said the Authority was concerned about conditions at the facility, including reports that some people with mental health conditions had been chained.

He said the centre previously had a licence to operate, but the licence had expired.

“We wanted to close it down. He has a licence, but it has expired,” Dr Dordoye said.

He was speaking at the 5th Graduation Ceremony of the Ghana Christian University College.

According to Dr Dordoye, some of the people at the facility believe they are receiving spiritual treatment from the centre’s leader.

He questioned how healthcare professionals could effectively provide appropriate treatment to people with mental health conditions if they remained restrained.

The reported presence of more than 2,000 people at the centre highlights concerns over the conditions under which some people with mental health conditions continue to receive care outside the formal mental healthcare system.

Dr Dordoye also cautioned Ghanaians against prescribing or administering medication to people with mental health conditions without appropriate medical guidance.

He urged families and caregivers to seek professional medical care and avoid practices that could endanger the lives or wellbeing of people experiencing mental health conditions.

The Mental Health Authority has previously raised concerns about the treatment of people with mental health conditions in some spiritual and traditional healing facilities, particularly where practices such as chaining and other forms of restraint are used.

Dr Dordoye said appropriate professional care remained essential to ensuring that people with mental health conditions received safe and effective treatment.

The Authority’s move against the Kumasi facility comes amid continuing efforts to improve regulation and standards of mental healthcare in Ghana and to protect people with mental health conditions from potentially harmful treatment practices.