Provide risk allowances for Mental Health workers - Dr Akwasi Osei

Ghana’s Chief Psychiatrist and head of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital is calling on the government to immediately institute risk allowances for nurses and staff of psychiatric hospitals in order to mitigate the effect of daily risks.

According to Dr Akwasi Osei, psychiatric nurses and hospital staff work under very harsh conditions and are often exposed to deadly attacks by their patients.

Speaking to XYZ News, he said the lack of special incentives and social protection for nurses working in such homes discourages them from joining the sector.

“There have been times when we have had to search patients to find knives and various kinds of weapons meaning that if you lose guard then your life is at risk.

“There have also been instances that patients assaulted workers…two things have to be done, the mental health law should be implemented without delay and staff should also be given risk allowances of some sort”.