In a significant development for mental health care in Ghana, Pinaman Appau assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer at the Mental Health Authority, succeeding Professor Akwasi Osei.
With an illustrious background as the former director of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital and extensive experience as a consultant psychiatrist and mental health advocate, Appau is Ghana’s first female psychiatrist trained by the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons. Over the past 15 years, she has ardently dedicated herself to enhancing mental health care across various regions of Ghana.
Driven by her fervor for service improvement in mental health, Appau pursued a Master’s degree in public administration at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), where she emerged as the top student and valedictorian for the graduate course in 2020.
Her responsibilities extend beyond administrative duties at the nation’s largest mental health facility. Appau actively contributes to the training of doctors, psychiatrists, and medical students from esteemed institutions like the University of Ghana, in collaboration with the Ghana and West African Colleges of Physicians.
Beyond her professional engagements, Appau remains a staunch advocate for the rights and welfare of individuals, particularly children and youth, living with mental health conditions.
The Mental Health Authority, established under the Mental Health Act 2012 (Act 846), operates with a core objective to propose, promote, and implement mental health policies while striving to deliver culturally sensitive, compassionate, and integrated mental health care services throughout Ghana.
Pinaman Appau’s appointment signifies a pivotal moment in Ghana’s mental health landscape, heralding a new era of comprehensive and compassionate mental health care delivery, all under the guidance of a passionate and accomplished leader.
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