Working with Recovery Africa has been one of the highlights of my life, after visiting Ghana in 2016 we continue to support this excellent venture and hope to visit again soon.
Recovery Africa
Recovery Tourism
One of the topics for our symposium and conference Oct 2021 is that of Recovery Tourism. A multi-purpose centre is being constructed in Oyarifa, by the O'Laughlin family, a suburb of Accra, Ghana's capital city. The building will have 20 self-contained rooms and conference facilities. It will be also used by Recovery Africa as a sober/recovery tourism B&B with Somerton Lodge in the UK being used as a staging post for those visiting Ghana, and both being points of focus for the concept of Recovery Tourism.
Somerton Lodge
Isle of WIght. England
Multi-purpose centre
Accra, Ghana
Recovery Africa
Working with Recovery Africa has been one of the highlights of my life, after visiting Ghana in 2016 we continue to support this excellent venture and hope to visit again soon.
Today was our last day at Ankufal Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Al spent some time talking about the Recovery Book and TAMERS, (Think about recovery talk about recovery, Act on recovery, Meditate and minimise stress, Exercise and eat well, Relax and Sleep). I continued to talk about the processes of recovery that we see in the 12 Steps and how that is similar to the processes in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Today was another busy day. We met with the leaders of the National Council for Civic Education from the Accra region who were interested in learning more about addiction. It was an interesting day. Everyone started off with the usual introductions and expressed a desire to know more and it didn't take long for people warm up and start talking openly.
It was also great to see that one of the senior nurses had brought her baby to work and she gave me permission to take the photo you see. Just imagine how many millions would not be spent if we all carried our children this way
Today was our last day at Ankufal Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Al spent some time talking about the Recovery Book and TAMERS, (Think about recovery talk about recovery, Act on recovery, Meditate and minimise stress, Exercise and eat well, Relax and Sleep). I continued to talk about the processes of recovery that we see in the 12 Steps and how that is similar to the processes in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Who did we meet?
Ghana Prisons Service
The Ghana Prisons Service as an adjunct of the Criminal Justice System of Ghana contributes to the maintenance of internal security by maintaining of an efficient, humane and safe reformatory penal system operated within the laws of Ghana. "We believe in humanity, vigilance, fortitude and integrity while helping in the reintegration of ex-convicts into society". The service comprises forty-five prison establishment located in all the ten regions of Ghana.
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Accra Psychiatric Hospital
The Hospital is responsible for the treatment, welfare, training and rehabilitation of the mentally ill.
The University Of Ghana Medical School has a faculty established in the hospital for undergraduate training in psychiatry and postgraduate training under the West African College of psychiatrists (WACP). The hospital thus has a symbiotic relationship with the medical school.
Nurses from all over the country are affiliated to this hospital for 6-month proficiency training in psychiatry
Pantang Psychiatric Hospital
The second Accra Psychiatric Hospital is Pantang hospital. The hospital was originally planned to be a Pan-African Mental Health Village.
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GOFAS
Alcoholism in pregnant women is the cause of disorders in babies, the Ghana Organisation on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (GOFAS), a non-governmental organisation has said. GOFAS said many people in Ghana knew little or nothing about the dangers and risks involved in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) during pregnancy and this had led to many children being born with various forms of disabilities.
Narcotics Control Board of Ghana
The Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) is a Ghananian agency under the Ministry of Interior. It is the agency concerned with the formulation and enforcement of narcotics laws in the country. The board's work is aimed at preventing the use, import, and export of narcotics.The agency has three main functions, supervised by the Interior Ministry. The functions consist of the following:
Enforcement and control of narcotic control laws in the country
Education and prevention of the use of narcotics treatment, rehabilitation and social re-integration of narcotic addicts.
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Hopeful Way Board
Hopeful Way is a non-governmental organisation that was registered in September 2008. The organisation established a house which serves as a protective environment for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. Hopeful Way also seeks to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.
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House of St. Francis
The House of St. Francis is a residential facility that has a 40 bed capacity and is initially accommodating men with alcohol and substance use disorders. The House is part of the overall effort by the Archdiocese to educate and raise awareness among the youth and other members of society about the destructive nature of addiction. The treatment approach models being used are: the 12 steps recovery approach using Recovery Dynamics program curriculum and Therapeutic Community approach concepts.
Cape Coast – Ankaful Psychiatric and Training College
The Ankaful Nurses Training College is public tertiary health institution that is located at the Psychiatric Hospital. The college specialises in the training of psychiatric nurses