Some of the patients were left helpless as they loitered the premises of the hospital, hoping to be attended to.

[contextly_sidebar id=”QfDnB1ZPsgh83K9IWsF3s8W3CcfTC9gX”]The staff of the Hospital are on strike to demand that government stops private developers encroaching on their lands.

Citi News’ Felicia Osei who was at the Hospital on Monday morning, said as at 10:00am, about fifty people who visited the hospital had been turned away.

The father of a child with epilepsy from Tema said he had no option than to return home without the needed treatment despite having a seizure the night before.

A female patient resident at Kasoa in the Central Region who has sleep challenges and wanted a replacement of her drugs, said she was informed by one of the staff that they were not working.

The striking nurses, numbering about 700, were however seen sitting in groups with red arm and headbands.

The CEO of the Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei, told Citi News that the strike had become the only workable action for the staff since all complaints about the encroachment to government have not seen the desired results.

He has since called on government to immediately address the problem.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Pantang Hospital staff has said it will intensify its action if the government does not immediately address the concern. He said the front view of the Hospital has partly been taken over by a private developer.

He told Citi News that they may embark on a demonstration on Wednesday if the government does not show commitment to addressing the concern.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Madam Ruth Okyere of the Mind Freedom Ghana, an NGO committed to mental health issues, said there should be adequate budgetary allocation for that.

This, she noted, had become necessary in the wake of recent suicide cases in the country.

She called for an end to stigmatization of the mentally ill, saying, they should be shown love and be given more support.

Madam Okyere, who was speaking at a day’s seminar organized by the Ghana Federation of the Physically Disabled, underlined the need for all to be on the alert, and to act quickly to assist people who showed suicidal tendencies.

These include social isolation, sudden change in behavior, constant talk about death and carrying of dangerous weapons.

When people start willing out their property, it could also be a sign of yearning to commit suicide, she added.

Madam Okyere identified mental illness, psychiatric disorders, poor impulse control, problem with decision making, lack of acceptance and stigma as some of the factors that could lead people to take their own lives.

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Source: GNA

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According to the Ministry, some GH¢1 billion will soon be disbursed by the Ministry of Finance for the procurement of some needed logistics for the facility.

[contextly_sidebar id=”SgfaC4Hf6Z2SDSwQKlvZiUXdwRmnceYd”]The psychiatric nurses on Monday [October 31] declared an indefinite strike, claiming that work at the facility posed serious risk to them.

They lamented that the lack of some logistics and materials at the hospital made if difficult for them to operate.

Some said they have been forced to personally finance the purchase of needed logistics.

But Tony Goodman, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health told Citi News, “The finance ministry is releasing some money to us. They’ve dealt with the human right aspect of it. So moving forward, we are asking them to go back to work while we deal with the issue.”

He said the ministry has taken steps to acquire some of the logistics the nurses have requested.

“On the things they mentioned, we started providing them. The human resources is one of them. The other things which has to do with commodities, the procurement people are working on it and will get back to us. We are also expecting this GH¢1million from the ministry of Finance, immediately we get it, we will provide some of the medications we believe should be available,” he added.

Psychiatric Nurses threaten indefinite strike

Earlier in October, the Psychiatric Nurses at the hospital threatened an indefinite strike over government’s failure to provide the facility with the basic logistics needed to carry out their duties effectively. According to the Chairperson of the Nurses, Jamila Hussein, the lack of medication for patients at the facility rendered staff to vulnerabilities such as physical attacks from patients.

“The patients are either beating us or they are beating other patients. That is the situation now. Those detergents keep the place clean and in section three, the minimum hours a nurse spends in a ward  is eight hours so we are at risk. Some of us are even developing infections.”

Accra Psychiatric Hospital shuts down OPD

The hospital suspended services at the department a few weeks ago due to financial constraints.

The situation forced the hospital’s suppliers  to withdraw their services over the unpaid debts.

Others suppliers also dragged the mental facility to court to demand payment.

This is not the first time the nurses of the hospital have embarked on an indefiate strike over poor condition of service.

In 2015, they embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries following failed promises by government to have the arrears paid.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The call comes in the wake of recent challenges faced by the Accra Psychiatric Hospital due to government’s indebtedness to the facility.

The hospital recently shut down its Out Patient Department (OPD) due to lack of basic materials and stationery included A4 sheets.

The Executive Director of the Association, Peter Kwame Yeboah told Citi News, mental health services are indispensable and required the necessary attention to make it sustainable and efficient hence the appeal.

Speaking at the launch of the mental health week in Accra on Monday, he said, “we need mental health services in Ghana that is sustainable, equitable, efficient and effective to serve our collective needs. We need political support if mental health support is to be sustainable in our country. We call on the government to ensure sustainable funding for the Mental Health Authority.”

“We also ask Parliament, the Executives especially the Ministry of Finance to fast track action to ensure that the LI is passed,” he said.

‘Mental health fund will save psychiatric hospitals’

The Mental Health Authority has urged government to pass the Legislative Instrument (LI) on mental health to end the frustration of Psychiatric Hospitals constantly relying on government for funding.

Dr Akwasi Osei, Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, told Citi News the LI includes the establishment of the mental health fund which will provide funds to run the various mental health facilities in the country.

Dr. Osei said, “The mental health law talked about the establishment of a mental health fund. That mental health fund will be fed through the mental health levy which may be part of an existing levy or capitation like NHIA, VAT or road fund.”

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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