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The Accra Psychiatric Hospital, originally built as a prison, accommodates patients whose condition resembles that of a prison.
Deprivation and neglect are the main themes of the state of the institution, as well as recurrent incidents of violent patients.
The hospital, built in 1906 for a prison but now converted to a psychiatric hospital, claims rice, medicine and other basic necessities to provide for its 400 inmates who depend on a monthly budget allocation of 110,000 ghc. But it will cost $ 8,500 to treat a patient with schizophrenia.
S addressing Daniel Dadzie, host of Joy FM's Super Morning Show, following his institution's familiarization visit on Tuesday, a hospital publicist said, " You have just experienced a difficult day. I have been working there for 6 years.
Emmanual Aboagye Appiah did not warn the listeners when he referred to the dehumanizing situation experienced by both staff and by customers during the use of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital. .
"The mosquitoes chewed us," he began by telling how a pregnant nurse lost her baby and that a doctor was beaten without mercy because they had been attacked by a patient who had had a relapse.
But they can not defend themselves.
"We are trained not to retaliate. These are our patients. That's what we're trained for, said Appiah.
The Accra Mental Hospital does not give up. Management has used ingenious means to feed and help their client, including begging.
"We decided to go begging," said the hospital reporter in the SMS. This did not solve other problems, however, including lack of staff.
Some health professionals stationed in the facility have given up because of its deteriorating state. As a result, oOnly two nurses go to work at night and they have nowhere to sleep.
"It's just thanks we are not dead. Almost everyone has already been attacked. I received my share just three weeks ago. You go to work and you bring bed bugs home, "revealed the publicist of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
While health professionals rely on God's grace to help Ghanaian citizens suffering from mental illness, it is estimated that out of 21.6 million people living in Ghana, 650,000 suffer from a serious mental disorder.
For moderate to mild mental disorder, a A report from the World Health Organization published in 2016 revealed that an additional 2.16 million people suffer from it.
The Ghana Health Service provides more sinister data. He revealed that about 41% of Ghanaians have a psychological disorder.
About four million Ghanaians, out of a population estimated at 28 million, suffer from mild to severe mental illness, the report from the Mental Health Authority said in 2017.
Photo: Kweku Brobbey is Head of Communications at the Mental Health Authority
The communication officer of the Mental Health Authority had no solution to the existing challenge.
The poor state of mental health "in Ghana is a problem of neglect. Mental health in Ghana has been neglected by all. It is deplorable, it is unpleasant, but that is what it is. Kweku Brobbey says with enthusiasm.
Explaining the special nature of seizures, he added, "Mental health does not look like an ordinary physical condition in which you have a treatment plan. Mental health goes beyond that. "
According to the head of communication, this explains "why we need a specific budget", because "the facilities are overloaded".
Unfortunately, mental health is not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme, which would have ensured that services provided outside budget allocations are paid for by the state.
However, according to the current arrangement, the hospital works on a limited budget, depending on the infrequent goodness of the government.
"People with mental illness are in the lower income bracket. The funds come in as and when they are available. Mental health has not been prioritized in the country, "he lamented.
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