Nurses’ strike affecting mental healthcare - Chief Psychiatrist

The Mental Health Authority has said the absence of nurses at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, is worsening the already dire situation at the facility.

The psychiatric nurses on Friday October 28, threatened 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 basic logistics needed for the job.

A recent Citi News report revealed that, one of the patients is now feeding and taking care of other patients. The nurses say there are no medical supplies to work with as a result of huge debts.

Speaking on the Citi breakfast Show, Dr. Osei said some of the wards have been closed down as a result of the situation.

“There are no nurses to attend to them. They have withdrawn their services…That is how bad the situation is.. .The hospital is forced to discharge as many as they can. They have tried to recall health assistants and the health assistants are already very few; so they have collapsed some of the wards. They have pulled patients from one ward to another ward, so they can have fewer wards and then they can distribute the few health assistants.”

One of the nurses at the facility, Alberta Popolanpo, who also spoke on the show, indicated that nurses are willing return to work if working conditions improve.

“It is not that we are happy with what is happening. I’m sure government is listening and they really have to come to our aid. We need good working conditions.”