Government has announced plans to construct three additional psychiatric hospitals in the Ashanti, Northern and Volta Regions to expand access to mental healthcare.

President John Dramani Mahama has also urged the youth to pursue training in critical health professions to help address staffing gaps in the sector.

He further disclosed that the United States has expressed interest in dialogue with Ghana over the rejected health cooperation pact.

The announcements were made during a Citizens’ Engagement Open Forum in Goaso in the Ahafo Region, as part of the two-day Resetting Ghana tour.

The forum provided residents with an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns about development and service delivery, with President Mahama responding directly to the issues presented.

Key ministers accompanying the President also took turns to account for their stewardship, outlining the activities, achievements and ongoing interventions of their respective ministries as part of the government’s accountability drive.

On mental healthcare, President Mahama expressed concern about the need to strengthen services and announced plans to construct three additional psychiatric hospitals in the Ashanti, Northern and Volta Regions.

He also encouraged young people to take advantage of opportunities to train as critical health personnel, stressing the importance of building the workforce needed to improve healthcare delivery.

The rejected health cooperation pact with the United States also featured during the engagement. President Mahama disclosed that the US government had expressed interest in dialogue with Ghana on the matter.

The two-day ‘Resetting Ghana’ tour of the Ahafo Region forms part of the government’s efforts to bring governance to the doorsteps of ordinary citizens.