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The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Wellness Centre has revealed plans to rollout mental health programmes to cater to the mental struggles of the populace next year.
The Director of the Centre, Prof. (Mrs.) Ibok Oduro observes that there are increasing cases of mental issues at her outfit.
“The KNUST Wellness Centre will offer mental health programmes for its patrons, and encourage parents to involve their wards,” she said.
The KNUST Wellness Centre as part of their agenda to promote total wellness, held an awards ceremony to honour its stakeholders.
Professor Ibok Oduro who chaired the event shared her sentiments on the difficulties of change while encouraging healthier habits.
She explained, “Today is a celebration time. In life, when you want to start something, the change is not easy. For people to take their health seriously, is not easy. It needs to be intentional. We could budget for everything but when it comes to health, wellness, our wellbeing, social, financial wellness and everything, we don’t think about them until you’re sick, then you decide the amount of money to spend.”
She continued, “We believe in ‘prevention is better than cure’ so if we do this bit by bit, you’ll see that we’ll be reducing a lot of things and the money spent at the hospital will be just diverted one-third into wellness.
“KNUST is a very healthy environment for the opportunity to increase and we have our people. Wellness should be part of our life. Think about your mental, your social, think about your physical health and everything holistically. We must put them together so that we can live and enjoy life.”
The KNUST Wellness Centre which has been operational since 2021, is dedicated to medical education, physiotherapy, diet therapy, psychological counselling, sport and exercise, games and dance.
The Centre has been organising screening programmes on Hepatitis B and C, breast cancer among others.
Awardees included the College of Engineering which swept two awards for the Most Conscious Wellness College and outstanding wellness team; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Most Creative College award; Mrs Mercy Vanessa Appiah Dankwa and Dr Nana Akua Abrokwa for the Leadership awards.
The rest are; Benedict Ansreh and Miss Florence Azuma for the Most Punctual male and female awards respectively, Mr Emmanuel Mfum Mensah as recipient for the Star Performer award, Mr Dominic Nsrapa as the Most Committed Trainer and Dr. Charles Apprey for the Above and Beyond award.
The Ansreh family was also awarded as the most consistent family.
Mercy Appiah Dankwah commended the Centre and shared her excitement. “I want to say a very big thank you to the KNUST Wellness Centre. We are grateful for the recognition. It is my belief that this recognition will encourage all of us to put in the best in all that we all do.”
