Government releases GHC500,000 to stop closure of Psychiatric Hospitals

Government has approved the disbursement of over GHC500,000 to the Mental Health Authority following a distress call from the authority about the imminent closure of psychiatric hospitals as a result of the possible withdrawal of funding from the DFID.

CEO of the Mental Health Authority Dr. Akwasi Osei after a meeting with the Health Minister Dr. Kwaku Agyeman Manu confirmed the approval of funds.

“Over GHC500,000 has been approved by government and we are hopeful by the end of the week we will have the money so we can pay off whatever indebtedness to suppliers so that they can continue supplying us. We are hoping that we will have enough funds by the time we will run out so we do not run on cash and carry”.

Meanwhile, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Kuganab-Lem Robert Baba has criticized government for its halfhearted attitude towards Mental Health. According to him, the absence of a dedicated allocation from the Health budget to the Mental Health sector is evident of government’s disregard of the sector at the expense of others.

“Mental health patients pay when they get to the hospitals, it is not that we are sliding slowly towards the cash and carry system but the problem generally is our lack of prioritizing issues particularly issues related to the vulnerable, without health we are nobody. Yet we do not care about the health of our people, if we look at the speed with which we are running to procure items on ICT etc., it’s unbelievable”.