The Accra Psychiatric Hospital redevelopment project is scheduled to begin in September this year, the Hospital Director, Dr Pinanman Apau has announced.
She noted that the redevelopment which was expected to be completed within 18 months from the start date, would have among other facilities, a resource centre, an assessment unit, an acute treatment bed unit, support services facility and a mortuary.
To this end, she asked the public to disregard claims that the hospital had been sold to a private developer.
Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday, Dr Apau indicated that the redevelopment exercise was intended to redesign the hospital into an ultra-modern facility that would conform to international standards.
She revealed that funding for the project would be provided by the government under the Agenda 111 and the redevelopment would cover part of its land, however, the old hospital would still operate during the period of construction.
Dr Apau explained that due to the downsizing of the facility, some staff would be deployed to offer services in the other communities.
“Hospital management is liaising with the Ministry of Health, the Mental Health Authority, the Ghana Health Service and the Christian Health Association of Ghana among others to facilitate the processes.
“The hospital has upscaled its repatriation programme in a bid to reintegrate patients who have overstayed in the hospital into the society,” she emphasised.
The director said even though some services especially in-patient care would be cut down considerably, out-patient care services and others such as psychological and occupational therapy would be fully functional.
“Provisions have been made to cater for short stay in-patient care and patients needing long-term in-patient treatment will be referred to sister facilities,” she added.
Dr Apau explained that the reconstruction of the hospital would affect the staff quarters, however, residents living there had been informed through several meetings and communique.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
