Care for psychiatric patients is a societal obligation – Clergyman
The unfortunate challenges of inmates in psychiatric hospitals should not be blamed on them, but on the society, says Prophet Frederick Darko Ashong of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC).
“Our unlucky brothers and sisters in such hospitals have either suffered marital or family neglect and other societal problems and the society has to pay back in cash and kind for their rehabilitation,” Prophet Ashong said.
Being the pastor in-charge of the ICGC Israel-Ghana Assembly at Old Paa Dan, a suburb of Achimota, he made the observation on Saturday when the church donated items including secondhand clothing, detergents, toiletries and food items to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
The donation forms part of activities marking the eighth anniversary celebration of the branch at Old Paa Dan.
The five-day anniversary celebration on the theme: “Divine Speed in Fruitfulness”, ended on Sunday.
Other activities held as part of the celebration included word ministration, night of worship and a thanksgiving service held at the church’s auditorium where they prayed for the President, Ministers of State and the nation.
Prophet Ashong called on religious bodies, organisations and philanthropists to come to the aid of the inmates at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital to make them feel at home.
He said the gesture to the Hospital has been an annual affair since the branch was established in 2005 adding that “the Accra Psychiatric Hospital is not the only facility that we support, but we extend our help to orphanages, widows and brilliant but needy children in the society”.
Prophet Ashong said the hand of God is on Ghana and that the prevailing peace after the verdict was not by any human machinations, but rather the work of the Almighty.
Dr Anyetei Nsiah, Deputy Director of Nursing Services at Accra Psychiatric Hospital, who received the items on behalf of the Hospital, said government was doing all that it could to provide the needs of health facilities.
He said the government alone cannot do it unless individuals, religious bodies and organizations collectively support it with some basic needs to reduce the cost of healthcare delivery.
He commended the ICGC Israel-Ghana Assembly for the donation, saying that it would go a long way to boost the activities of the staff and appealed to other religious and corporate bodies to emulate their example.
Source: GNA