Mental Health by Africa for Africa
A Delegation to Ghana | Accra, 5 March 2026
Our Visit to Ghana
From February 28 to March 8, we had the privilege of bringing members of our International Advisory Board, the philanthropic force behind our Center, to Ghana for a week of meaningful conversations and shared learning. To truly understand the meaning behind global mental health, we knew it was necessary for our team to experience it together, on the ground and in community, with the individuals at the forefront of so many impactful initiatives.
Enter Ghana: a vibrant West African country undergoing a profound transformation of its mental health system from the ground up. As of 2025, with support from WHO, Ghana has expanded the number of emergency care providers, primary healthcare workers, and community volunteers trained in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services. Service coverage has similarly expanded, with identification of psychosis rising by 25% and more than 10,000 individuals newly registered to receive mental health and substance use care.
What followed was a week rooted in connection and driven by purpose: learning from mental health changemakers across Africa, engaging with public health leaders, and, most importantly, listening to the community at the heart of this work.
Mental Health by Africa for Africa: An Invitational Convening
On March 5, 2026, alongside colleagues from Ashesi University, the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ghana, and One Mind, we were honored to host “Mental Health by Africa for Africa: An Invitational Convening,” a day dedicated to conversation, learning, and collaboration around the very important initiatives advancing mental health across Africa.
The event brought together over 40 of the continent’s leading mental health experts, innovators, and policymakers, together with members of CCGMH’s International Advisory Board, for a powerful meeting that spotlighted individuals and initiatives at the forefront of our shared goal to expand access to care and transform mental health systems in the region.
During the symposium, we explored promising mental health interventions from across the continent, along with approaches to meaningfully engage communities and end-user populations in shaping programs and services. The convening also emphasized the importance of investing in the next generation of changemakers, from initiatives focused on building the capacity of emerging professionals to strategies that engage non-specialists and lay the groundwork to strengthen existing resources.
Learn more about our collaborators’ initiatives, the day’s conversations, and expert recommendations in the full convening report.