Minister-designate of Defence, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, has pledged to prioritise the mental health of soldiers by leveraging existing practitioners in the system and training more mental health professionals to support the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
Appearing before Parliament's Accounts Committee during his vetting yesterday, he emphasised the importance of mental health, stating that, "without sound mental health, security personnel cannot adequately provide the security we expect from them." Dr Omane Boamah revealed plans to address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among military personnel, which he noted affects individuals across all professions, including soldiers.
He assured the committee that if approved, he would ensure measures were implemented to protect the mental and general well-being of GAF members.
On health infrastructure, the nominee committed to re-equipping the 37 Military Hospital to better serve patients, adding that innovative mechanisms would be introduced across all military hospitals in the country to ease pressure on the 37 Military Hospital.
