Ghana Somubi Dwumadie

Ghana Somubi Dwumadie (Ghana Participation Programme) is a four-year disability inclusion programme in Ghana, which focuses on mental health and is funded with UK aid from the UK government.

The programme is run by an Options’ led consortium, which consists of Basic Needs Ghana, Kings College London, Sightsavers International and Tropical Health, and focuses on four key areas:

1. Promoting stronger policies and systems that respect the rights of people with disabilities, including people with mental health disabilities
2. Scaling up high quality and accessible mental health services
3. Reducing stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities
4. Generating evidence to inform policy and practice on the effectiveness of disability and mental health programmes and interventions

Promoting stronger policies and systems that respect the rights of people with disabilities, including people with mental health disabilities

• Advocating for an improvement in government provisions for mental health and disability inclusion
• Supporting an increased level of engagement by Disabled People Organisations (DPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in planned policy processes and interventions
• Supporting the implementation of legislation relating to disability, including mental health
• Promoting intersectoral monitoring and accountability mechanisms on mental health and disability

Scaling up high quality and accessible mental health services

• Supporting the development of localised approaches which integrate disability, including mental health disability, at a primary care level
• Ensuring that people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities, are able to access quality integrated services at the primary health care level.
• Supporting people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities, to access community-based initiatives

Reducing stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities

• Supporting people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities,  to advocate for their rights, in line with the principle of “nothing about us, without us”
• Enabling the development and implementation of a Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) strategy by people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities, as well as their organisations and supporters
• Supporting people with disabilities, including mental health disabilities, to engage in public life

Generating evidence to inform policy and practice on the effectiveness of disability and mental health programmes and interventions

• Conducting applied research studies to improve the effectiveness and decision-making on disability and mental health programmes and interventions
• Supporting the use of evidence and disaggregated data by government to inform disability and mental health policies, plans and budgets