Accra Psychiatric Hospital In Limbo; We Don't Have Adequate Food & Drugs - Chief Psychiatrist
The Accra Psychiatric Hospital is in a terrible state of neglect as the hospital authorities yearn for government support to safeguard the lives of its patients.
Speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", Chief Psychiatrist of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital Dr. Kwasi Osei disclosed that his outfit and other Psychiatric hospitals - Ankaful and Patang - across the nation have been confronted by financial challenges among other problems affecting patients in these hospitals.
According to him, the hospitals lack adequate food and drugs for the patients; a situation which has placed a huge burden on the hospital authorities.
In spite of the efforts by the authorities, the Accra Psychiatric hospital is in arrears to a tune of GHC 3 million and this serves as a major threat to the hospital suppliers.
Dr. Kwasi Osei confirmed on the programme that due to the crippling challenges facing the hospital, some suppliers to the hospital have withdrawn their services.
“As I talk to you now, those who even give us food on credit are also frustrated because they’ve gone for loans from bank and they’re burdened by the bank. So, that becomes a challenge to us. So, we don’t get adequate food for them. Though we’re working hard to give them a three-square meal daily but it’s not possible.
“Also, we don’t have enough drugs for them…We don’t have the drugs yet but we’re cocksure they’re at Tema and will come in soon.”
He noted that over the years, the patients have been fed from the hospital's Mental Health and Drug Funds in order to attend to them.
“We shouldn’t have dipped our fingers in it to do anything. It’s solely for medicine purposes. But due to this challenge, we have to draw from it to purchase food so that in due season, we refund the money into the drug fund. It’s against the law but if we don’t do that, many lives will be lost.”
Dr. Kwasi Osei therefore appealed to government to come to the aid of the hospital.
The Psychiatric hospital is in limbo and deserves immediate attention.
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