The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ghana has renovated the female observational ward of the Accra Psychiatry Hospital at a cost of Ghc21,645.00.
The scope of work included ceiling of the ward and four observational rooms, floor tiling, installation of 4 (three horse power) air conditioners, painting, minor masonry and electrical works, and fixing of wooden louvres to provide enclosure.
The refurbished ward was handed over to the hospital administrators on January 6, 2014 at a short ceremony in the ward. The ward is the first point of call for female patients who visit the hospital and takes 15 people at a time.
According to Pastor Samuel Adama Larmie, President of the Southern Ghana Union, the renovation was part of the social impact projects selected to make a difference in the lives of Ghanaians to mark the 125th anniversary celebration of the Church in Ghana last year.
“As Adventist we believe in the total wellbeing of a person and thus chose to collaborate with the Psychiatry Hospital which is helping to restore health to persons with mental disabilities. Though the initial support was GHC10,000.00, we raised it to GHC21,645.00 when we were informed of what the hospital wanted to do with the money.
Thanking the Church, Dr Akwasi Osei, Medical Director of the hospital and Chief Psychiatrist of the Mental Health Authority said a conducive environment is crucial to mental health administration.
“Patient recovery is not just about medicines but the environment counts as well. If the environment is not conducive you can give all the medicines that person might not recover because there is a missing factor. That missing factor is what the SDA church has provided, a cool, cosy and nice environment and we are grateful,” Dr Osei said.
He also called for collaboration with the Church to attach a mental health training facility to the Kwadaso Nursing College to train more psychiatry nurses.
The Church delegation was made up of Pastor Samuel Adama Larmie, President of Southern Union of SDA, Elder Isaac Owusu Amponsem, Pastor Nii Lante Thompson, Madam Margaret Osei and Solace Asafo-Hlordzi
Captions: Pastor Samuel Adama Larmie, President of Southern Union of SDA hands over keys to Dr Akwesi Osei. Hospital administrators and church leaders in front of the ward