The Accra Psychiatric Hospital has appealed to individuals and corporate organisations for support to renovate leaking ward roofs and provide vehicles for community mental health visits as it marks its 120th anniversary.
The appeal was made by the hospital’s Deputy Director of Administration, Mr Emmanuel Hanson Torde, during a pre-anniversary thanksgiving Mass held on Sunday at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Adabraka, Accra.
Speaking on the anniversary theme, “gratitude for the past, hope for the future,” Mr Torde said the hospital’s 120-year journey reflected its resilience and commitment to providing mental healthcare.
Mr.Torde
He identified inadequate transportation as one of the institution’s major logistical challenges, explaining that the shortage of dedicated vehicles affected regular follow-ups with patients in their communities.
According to him, stigma surrounding mental health prevents some patients and their families from seeking care or attending review appointments for fear of being identified and labelled by society.
He said this often leads to patients discontinuing treatment, resulting in relapses and the deterioration of their conditions.
Mr Torde explained that community visits by hospital staff help patients remain stable, adhere to treatment and enable healthcare workers to educate their families.
“But we are constrained by lack of transportation,” the Deputy Director said.
He stressed that although the hospital remained committed to serving society, limited resources could affect the extent of its work, urging individuals, groups and organisations to support the institution.
Delivering the homily on the theme “Come and see, go and tell”, Very Rev. Fr. Raymond Osei-Tutu, Parish Priest of SS. Anne and Joachim Catholic Church, Teshie, described the hospital as a “grandmother institution” and praised its management and staff for 120 years of dedicated service to vulnerable people.
He acknowledged the significant work undertaken by the hospital over the years and prayed for God’s blessings upon the lives of its staff and management.
Very Rev. Fr. Osei-Tutu also encouraged Christians to demonstrate their faith through their actions beyond the church, urging hospital staff to serve as agents of change and leave the institution better than they found it.
“Don’t forget the ideas of the founders and always remember that, posterity will judge the way you do your work.”
He further urged staff to remain committed to transforming the institution and contributing to national development, even when their efforts go unnoticed.
The thanksgiving Mass coincided with Mission Sunday, an annual observance of the Catholic Church aimed at renewing commitment to evangelism.
As part of the celebration, priests are assigned to preach in different parishes, a practice known as the exchange of pulpits. It was in this regard that Very Rev. Fr. Osei-Tutu officiated at the Cathedral.
Speaking on the theme for the day, “come and see to go and be”, he said every Christian had a responsibility to evangelise and win more souls, stressing that Christianity should extend beyond the church building and be reflected in everyday life.
He urged believers to become agents of positive change wherever they found themselves.
Hospital staff, dressed in traditional attire, added colour to the thanksgiving service, while the church presented an undisclosed amount of money to the institution to support its operations.
