MoH bails out Accra Psychiatric Hospital


Ministry of Health has intervened to stop the Accra psychiatric hospital from introducing a cash and carry system.

Chief psychiatrist of the hospital Dr Akwasi Osei had earlier this week warned that the hospital would be forced to begin charging patients for treatment after revelations that the facility was not only cash strapped but had also run out of essential drugs and food supplies.

The Accra psychiatric hospital is one of three dedicated mental health treatment facilities within the country and extremely critical to Mental health delivery.

Dr Osei has for months declared the dire financial situation of the psychiatric hospitals, which forced all three to reduce admissions. Without the necessary finding, he said, “we might be forced to stop admissions” altogether .

With the additional burden of diminished drug supply, the hospital would be forced to return to the “cash and carry system” which was abandoned for good reason.

The Ministry of Health however has stepped in to assist the hospital, providing it with some emergengy funds.

Public Relations Officer of the Health Ministry tells JoyNews the Health Minister Dr. Kwaku Agyeman Mensah has directed the financial controller to make some funds available to the hospital.

He could not immediately reveal the amount allocated to the hospital but stated that it would be receiving drugs directly from the Ministry of Health, in addition to the funds.

When asked why it had taken so long for the Ministry to intervene, Mr Goodman explained that the Ministry of Health does not take charge of the Nation’s resources and that “it is [the] Finance [Ministry] that sends money to the various institutions around the country”.

The Ministry of Health is stepping in this situation because the institution is critical to health care delivery in the nation, he said, adding that “we want to make sure patients there receive the necessary care and quality healthcare.”


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