THE SPECIALIST in charge at the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Samuel Kpakpo Allotey, has stated that last year 20,000 patients attended the hospital and 1,061 went on admission.

According to him, patients admitted at the hospital daily vary from one to five for which 691 were male and 362, female.

Dr. Allotey in an interview with Chronicle, said the hospital has inadequate staff due to the high rate of health professionals leaving the country for greener pastures in Europe and parts of America, leading to an acute shortage of staff in the hospital.

He said one nurse at the hospital takes care of 35 patients, and presently, the hospital has two psychiatric doctors and two medical assistants, a number which he stressed, is inadequate to take care of the patients at the hospital.

"Some doctors are not showing interest in taking care of the mentally disordered, and the hospital is faced with several problems such as power outage, the roads leading to the hospital being in a deplorable state, lack of accessible water because the pipes are not flowing.

He disclosed that the hospital has one oldd water tank that supplies water to the hospital and it is old, which makes the job difficult for the doctors and nurses.

Dr. Allotey said some patients have been left by their relatives at the hospital for so long and never come for them again.

He added that several kinds of patients are admitted at the hospital suffering schizophrenia, which, he said, is caused by everyday stress, depression, substances of drug abuse, smoking marijuana, alcohol, heroin and epilepsy.

He said despite the problems, the hospital has established an eye clinic at the hospital, the Out Patients Department (OPD) has been expanded.

It has also improved the transportation and communication facilities, and has purchased a new bus and two pick up trucks, a new computer and furniture for the hospital to render its service well.

He said the hospital will continue to provide quality service to Ghanaians and focus on improving quality care.

Dr. Allotey said the hospital will expand their coverage by meeting patients' expectations, involving them in decision making.

The hospital will foster partnership with the communities, NGOs and all organisations interested in mental health to improve the outreach programmes especially with the communities.

He said the hospital will try to complete 30% of the uncompleted buildings and also replace absolute equipment.

He said the hospital will help staff achieve their potentials through training, motivate them by incentives, backing and providing safer and friendly working environment in terms of human resources especially, nurses in the hospital.

He however called on stakeholders to come in to support the hospital, contending that the government can't do it alone.

He also called on relations of patients not abandon them at the hospital but rather show them love and take them back into the society after they have been treated.