Accra Psychiatric Hospital needs GHC70k to run monthly – Akwasi Osei

The Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei has disclosed that a whooping GHS700, 000 will be needed to effectively run the Accra Psychiatric Hospital monthly.

Managers of the hospital on Tuesday began discharging patients from the facility as they struggle to take care of them.

The hospital explained that it took the drastic decision after nurses at the facility decided to stay away from work until government provides them with basic supplies.

Speaking on Morning Starr on Wednesday, Dr. Osei said the situation with the nurses at the facility “is very bad.”

He explained that the facility’s decision to discharge patients is a “contingency measure” as there are no nurses to care for them.

The nurses are complaining of indecent and hazardous conditions at the hospital, the basis for the withdrawal of their services.

“The hospital is not receiving its budgetary allocation, so the nurses cannot work in the current condition,” Dr. Osei told Morning Starr host Nii Arday Clegg Snr.

Relatives of the patients being sent home have told Starr News government is demonstrating gross insensitivity over the plight of the mental health patients and nurses.

“It is not proper that they are being discharged...how do we take care of them,” a relative told Starr News’ Papisdaff Abdulai.

Meanwhile, President John Mahama has assured that the current impasse at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital will be resolved within the shortest possible time.

Speaking in an interview on Sunrise FM Tuesday, Mahama said his government will do everything possible to ensure that the mental home does not shut down.

“We will take immediate steps to resolve the issues at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital...I will talk to the Health minister to understand what the issues are so they are resolved,” Mr. Mahama said.