Accra Psychiatric Hospital - Mental Health Authority

The Accra Psychiatric Hospital held its second Fundraising Dinner on Friday, 6 th July 2018 at the Police social and fitness Centre, Accra. This year’s fundraising was in AID OF RENOVATING THE HOSPITAL’S FORENSIC WARD KNOWN AS THE SPECIAL WARD and was well patronized by the public and staff of the facility.

The maiden fundraising dinner was held on 5 th of May 2017 at the Police Social and Fitness Center and was well attended by some dignitaries as well as staff of the hospital and some members of the public and was surprisingly a big success. The fundraising was in aid of retooling the Laboratory and Electroconvulsive Therapy Department (ECT) of the hospital as both were in a deplorable state, with the equipment out of order. The target was Five Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedi and an amount of Ninety-Seven Thousand Cedi (Gh¢97,000) was realized. Out of this amount, the hospital was able to purchase an Electroconvulsive Therapy Machine and a Chemistry Analyzer for the E.C.T. and Laboratory Department respectively. A pledge by the Ghana Revenue Authority to purchase one laboratory machine was fulfilled some time after the event. They bought and installed a Biochemistry analyzer. Currently, both departments are functioning. 

This year’s event which was slated for 4 th May 2018 could not come on as planned due to some initial challenges, but thanks be to God, we overcame those challenges and the program came off successfully. The target for the fundraiser was One Hundred and Sixty Thousand Cedi (Gh¢160,000.00) which is the cost of renovating the patient’s washroom, dormitory, dinning area and the nurses station of the Special Ward.

The welcome address by Dr. Adwoa Pinaman Appau (Hospital Director) highlighted the poor infrastructure of the hospital with emphasis on the Special ward. She attributed the inability of the management to renovate the ward to inadequate funds therefore, Management of the hospital came to the decision of using the funds from this year’s fundraiser to refurbish the ward, to make it a bit habitable for the in-patients and a bit friendly for both staff and patients.

The event was chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Nti (Commissioner- General, GRA). The chairman recounted the importance of Mental Health and therefore called on all to contribute to help uplift the image of Accra Psychiatric hospital and Mental Health in Ghana. He further reiterated the commitment of the Ghana Revenue Authority to assist the hospital in anyway within their means. He kicked start the fundraising with a personal pledge of Five Thousand Ghana Cedi (Gh¢5000). He also made a pledge of Ten Thousand Ghana Cedi (10,000.00) on behalf of the GRA. 

Keynote address delivered by Prof. Angela Offori-Atta justified the reason why the current location of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital should be maintained. One of such reasons is the fact the hospital is surrounded by institutions which all play a major role in the delivery of Mental Health. She further added that, she dreams and waits eagerly for the new Accra Psychiatric Hospital in a state-of-the-art facility, with different module of mental health delivery right at the current location. In attendance were some other dignitaries such as Dr. Akwasi Osei (CEO, Mental Health Authority), Dr. Sammy Ohene (Head of Department of Psychiatry, UG Medical School), Mr. Chirstian Sottie (President, ICA), reps from the Parliament, Reps from Ministry Health, staff of GRA and various media personnel . They all graced the occasion with their goodwill and made donations towards the fundraising. 

An amount of Seventy Thousand and Forty-Six Cedi (70,046.00) was realized both in pledge and cash. This is less than half of the total amount of the cost of renovation. We must say we are very grateful and are appreciative to those who contributed to make this fundraising. The hospital management therefore continues to appeal to the public to keep donating in cash or kind to assist in the renovation of the Special Ward. You could walk into the hospital to make your donations or contact the PR unit through the following:

 Phone – 0577690753/0572232619

 Email – info@accrapsychiatrichospital.org

The following are the various individuals/institutions/churches/organizations who contributed:

 Betthy Pange

 Asbrey Dunwell Church

 Head of Finance, MHA

 Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Nti (Commissioner-General, GRA)

 Ghana Revenue Authority

 Adwoa Boaduaa-Boadu (Tullow Oil)

 Mrs. Ohene

 House of Parliament

 Agnes Agudu (PNO, Accra Psychiatric Hospital)

 Yaw Boamah (GRA)

 Hawa Yeboah (GRA)

 Ministry of Health

 Christian Sottie (President, ICA)

 Gloria Wireku

 Mr. Emmanuel Pappoe (DDNS-IN-CHARGE, Accra Psychiatric Hospital)

 Beatrice Nyarko (DDNS, Accra Psychiatric Hospital)

 The Mental Health Authority

 Mr. Chris Komla (Head, Social Welfare Department APH)

 Kate Asamoah Nketiah

 Kennedy Brantuo Wholly (Staff, Accra Psychiatric Hospital)

 Mr. Samuel Hanu (Staff, Accra Psychiatric Hospital)

 Mrs. Mary Amoo (Staff, Accra Psychiatric Hospital)

 Diagnopharma Limited

 Mr. Noah Amanor

 Mental Health and Well-being Foundation

 Gokals Laborex

 Ghana Gas Company

 Forty Lives Foundation