A Senior Public Mental Health Officer at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Mavis Asantewaa Opoku, has called on government to enact laws that would sanction or jail parents, particularly fathers, who abandon children living with special needs or mental health conditions.
According to her, many fathers neglect their responsibilities after discovering that their children have conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, or other neurological and mental health disorders, leaving mothers to bear the emotional and financial burden alone.
Madam Opoku, who is also the Executive Director of the Robb Foundation, made the passionate appeal while speaking to the media during the Mental Health Forum 2026 held in Accra.
She stressed that caring for children with special needs should not be left to mothers or caregivers alone, but must become a collective responsibility involving families, communities, health professionals, and government institutions.
“Taking care of a child with special needs or a person with mental health condition is not just the responsibility of parents or caregivers alone, but everybody in society,” she said.
She lamented what she described as the increasing trend of fathers abandoning their homes after the birth of children with neurological conditions.
“In most instances, you see fathers leaving their wives because they have such children. The next thing you hear is that the condition is not in their family, but whether it is in your family or not, it is still your responsibility to take care of the child,” she stated.
Madam Opoku therefore urged government to introduce legal measures that would compel absentee parents to remain accountable for the welfare of their children.
“We are appealing to government to sanction every father that runs away from his responsibility of taking care of a child with mental health conditions, whether autism, cerebral palsy or Down syndrome.
If you abandon your child because the child has a condition, the law should hold you accountable,” she added.
She further called on the general public to support advocacy efforts aimed at improving the lives of persons living with mental health conditions and disabilities.
While her appeal focused largely on fathers, she clarified that responsibility for caring for children with special needs rests on both parents.
According to her, mothers are often less likely to abandon such children due to the emotional and maternal bond they naturally develop.
“It is very difficult to see a mother dumping her child unless the person herself is experiencing mental health challenges because having such a child can bring emotional shock and instability,” she explained.
She noted that some parents may choose “the easy way out” by abandoning children with special needs due to stigma, emotional distress, or financial pressures, but insisted that society must not tolerate such behaviour.
Meanwhile, Madam Opoku also raised concerns about negligence by some health professionals during childbirth, warning that poor maternal care can contribute to certain mental health and neurological conditions in babies.
She explained that complications during labour, especially situations where babies are deprived of oxygen due to delayed medical attention, can result in irreversible brain damage and developmental conditions.
“There are instances where negligence can actually cause such conditions in children at birth. If midwives, nurses or doctors fail to pay proper attention during delivery, a lot can go wrong,” she said.
She therefore appealed to health workers to carry out their duties diligently and professionally.
“Please work with due diligence and attend to pregnant women the way they are supposed to be cared for. Do not bring frustrations from home to the workplace because it can cause permanent damage that can never be repaired,” she urged.
The Mental Health Forum 2026 brought together health professionals, caregivers, advocates, and stakeholders to discuss challenges confronting mental healthcare delivery and support systems for persons living with mental health conditions in Ghana.
By 1960news.com
