Dr. Elsie Abakisi, Senior Specialist at the Department of Psychiatry at Tamale Teaching Hospital, is urging urgent and sustained action to tackle the rising rates of depression among pregnant women and new mothers.
She revealed that research shows 26.8 percent of pregnant women experience Postpartum Depression (PPD)—a figure she described as “alarming.” “That means one in every four women faces this condition,” she said.
Postpartum Depression is a type of depression that occurs after childbirth. It is marked by persistent sadness, anxiety, and extreme fatigue, which can affect a mother’s ability to care for herself and her baby.
Dr. Abakisi shared these insights during a media interview in Sunyani, alongside a one-day training program under the project “Strengthening Community Health Systems to Enhance Integrated People-Centred HIV, TB, SRH, and MHPSS for Vulnerable Women and Adolescents in Ghana.”
The project, led by BasicNeeds Ghana in partnership with the Christian Health Association of Ghana, the Centre for People’s Empowerment and Rights Initiatives, and the Mental Health Society of Ghana, is funded by L’Initiative. Key collaborators include the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Mental Health Authority, Global Fund, Ghana Country Coordinating Mechanism, and Ghana AIDS Commission. It is set to run for 36 months.
Dr. Abakisi identified intimate partner violence, poverty, and underlying health conditions such as HIV and tuberculosis as major risk factors for Postpartum Depression. She emphasized the need for widespread public education to combat violence against women and reduce PPD rates, calling for a coordinated national response.
She also warned that many women suffering from PPD struggle to breastfeed, which can negatively affect their children’s growth and development. “Some children may have trouble bonding, show aggressive behavior, experience delays in speech, or face academic challenges,” she explained.
Mr. Dokurugu Yahaya, Head of Programs at BasicNeeds Ghana, said the project operates in seven regions across 27 communities in 14 districts, including Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Bono, and Greater Accra.
The initiative aims to improve maternal and child health outcomes for the most vulnerable women and girls, while strengthening community systems to deliver integrated health services—including HIV, TB, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health support—during pregnancy and postpartum.
Additionally, the project seeks to reduce gender-based disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women and adolescent girls living with or at risk of HIV.
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