Story: Fauziatu Adam
THE Accra Psychiatric Hospital has so far repatriated 112 cured inmates as part of the ongoing decongesting exercise by the hospital authorities.
The third batch of cured mental patients, comprising 10 patients from the Greater Accra Region and 15 from the Eastern Region, would be sent to their homes.
Two of the cured patients who were sent home under the decongesting exercise have been returned to the hospital. One of the two was said to have resorted to the use of cannabis (wee) after he had been released to his relatives.
In interviews with some of the cured patients, Abraham Borketey said he had been on admission at the hospital for six weeks now.
“I was fighting with my relatives over a piece of land and they brought me here, thinking I was mad because I became very violent over that land. The sad thing is that they never visited me. I am happy I am going home today and promise never to fight again,” he said.
Another patient, Noel Tetteh, has been at the hospital for one month.
“I do not know why I was even brought here. I come from Kpone around Tema. My family members brought me because of something I could not even explain. But I am happy I am going home. Unfortunately, my family members do not know that I am coming home,” he said.
For Aku, a cured patient, she was reluctant to go home. She refused to enter the bus and but for a little persuasion and promises from the authorities that they would come for her some time later, she would not have entered the bus.
So far, 70 patients have been transported by the hospital to their respective homes, while relatives of 42 patients have come for them.
The Chief Psychiatrist of the hospital, Dr Akwasi Osei, said the exercise would continue for the next two weeks, noting that it would help the patients reintegrate into society.
“The longer they remain in the hospital, the more difficult it becomes for them to reunite with society,” he said.
THE Accra Psychiatric Hospital has so far repatriated 112 cured inmates as part of the ongoing decongesting exercise by the hospital authorities.
The third batch of cured mental patients, comprising 10 patients from the Greater Accra Region and 15 from the Eastern Region, would be sent to their homes.
Two of the cured patients who were sent home under the decongesting exercise have been returned to the hospital. One of the two was said to have resorted to the use of cannabis (wee) after he had been released to his relatives.
In interviews with some of the cured patients, Abraham Borketey said he had been on admission at the hospital for six weeks now.
“I was fighting with my relatives over a piece of land and they brought me here, thinking I was mad because I became very violent over that land. The sad thing is that they never visited me. I am happy I am going home today and promise never to fight again,” he said.
Another patient, Noel Tetteh, has been at the hospital for one month.
“I do not know why I was even brought here. I come from Kpone around Tema. My family members brought me because of something I could not even explain. But I am happy I am going home. Unfortunately, my family members do not know that I am coming home,” he said.
For Aku, a cured patient, she was reluctant to go home. She refused to enter the bus and but for a little persuasion and promises from the authorities that they would come for her some time later, she would not have entered the bus.
So far, 70 patients have been transported by the hospital to their respective homes, while relatives of 42 patients have come for them.
The Chief Psychiatrist of the hospital, Dr Akwasi Osei, said the exercise would continue for the next two weeks, noting that it would help the patients reintegrate into society.
“The longer they remain in the hospital, the more difficult it becomes for them to reunite with society,” he said.
