Mamobi Hospital receives support

Basic Needs Ghana, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), working to improve the lives of persons living with mental illness and epilepsy, on Friday donated new air conditioners worth GH¢3,800 to the Community Psychiatric Unit of the Mamobi General Hospital in Accra

It forms part of the NGO’s contribution and support towards the sustainability of community mental health care at the hospital

The Executive Director of Basic Needs Ghana, Mr. Peter Yaro, said the donation was in response to an appeal made by the hospital to improve ventilation in a refurbished office to house the psychiatric unit

He said the NGO over the years supported the unit with psychotropic medicines, and had also trained health workers working in the unit to improve their skill in care delivery

Mr. Yaro hoped that the provision of the air conditioner would encourage the health workers to work effectively

He said the Psychiatric unit at the hospital as an example worth emulating and a perfect approach to decentralise mental health care service

 “This allows mentally challenged patients to be catered for right within their communities rather that carrying them to psychiatric hospitals far from their community and  leaving them there till they get well which makes it difficult for patients to be reintegrated into the community,” he said

Mr. Emmanuel Asare, a Nursing Officer who received the air conditioner on behalf of the hospital thanked Basic Needs for their support to the psychiatric unit

By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey