As part of measures to improve healthcare delivery in the country, Phoenix Resource Centre Global Aid Ghana (PRCGA), a Ghanaian-based non-governmental organization, has extended its charity arm to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital with medical equipment worth GH¢15,000.
It has also presented a cheque for GH¢1,000 to support the hospital to meet its daily needs.
The items included 5 pieces of mattresses, 3 large boxes of medical equipment (syringes, needles, pen tips and vacuettes), 5 pairs of single walker, 2 pairs of 4 legged walker, 1 box of Compound lactate drips (20 pieces), 10 boxes of dust/nose mask (58 pieces), 5 boxes of hand gloves, 1 box of Thermometers (10 pieces), 200 pieces of Kellogg’s T-shirts and a Wheel Chair.
It is the first time PRCGA is donating to support a worthy cause barely four months since its inception.
The gesture, according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PRCGA, Dr. John Koku Awoonor-Williams, was borne out of pity to reach out and relieve the plights of both patients and staff of the hospital.
Presenting the items to the hospital, Dr. John Koku Awoonor-Williams said, “Last year, I had the real opportunity to visit the Psychiatric Hospital with some colleagues and partners and I was so touched by what I saw, In actual fact having been working within the health sector for almost 30 years, I’ve never had the impression that this is what exist in the Accra Psychiatric Hospital. The need is great and the environment needs some support in terms of what nurses are using to work, equipment and consumables so I was touched to and just told myself I need to start organizing myself with a kind of NGO that will link with other NGOs to see how we can provide some support the hospital”.
Dr. Awoonor-Williams maintained the rationale behind the formation of PRCGA was to purposely support hospitals not only based in Accra but across the whole country especially very deprived communities who have healthcare centres, chip zones and basic needs as a means of complementing the efforts of government.
He referred to the donation as a ‘token’ assuring more support for the hospital in the future.
Whiles commending the entire hospital staff for the wonderful roles they played daily in ensuring proper management and effective handling of situations in the facility, Dr. Awoonor-Williams, who also doubles as the Director for Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ghana Health Services (GHS), appealed to all well-meaning Ghanaians as well as benevolent Institutions to mobilize resources to support the hospital.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Hospital, Ms Francisca Ntow, a Nursing Officer, expressed gratitude to the NGO for the gesture.
She equally called for more support, adding “we’re happy to receive from you, may God richly bless you and please bring us more because we’re always ‘Oliver twist’ so we ask for more in Jesus name.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Hospital Ms. Edwina Ankomah-Sey also used the occasion to appeal to Dr. Awoonor-Williams to once again donate some cash to support the upcoming fundraising project, which is due for May 5, expected to serve as source of funding towards the refurbishment of the hospital laboratory and purchasing of new equipment to replace the old ones.
She identified infrastructure gap as a major challenge confronting the hospital therefore strongly called on other NGOs, charitable organizations, philanthropists in the country as well corporate Ghana to make use of the opportunity and donate handsomely in cash to support the hospital towards successful implementation of its project.
Established in 1904, the Accra Psychiatric Hospital can barely boast of about 20 wards so far which is unable to accommodate many mental patients brought to its medical attention daily.
In spite of that, the wards are yet to see any proper improvement in terms of rehabilitation.
The building is currently in a deplorable state begging for immediate rehabilitation exercise to be conducted including replacement of old equipment with new ones.
According to the Ms Edwin Oklahoman-Sey, government alone cannot solve the myriad of challenges the hospital is faced with for that matter it will require the support of all Ghanaians to make it work.
Phoenix Resource Centre Global Aid Ghana (PRCGA) is an environmental non-governmental charity organization established in December 2016 with the aim of providing support to health facilities across the length and breadth of this country most importantly to health facilities in hard-to-reach areas that serve majority of Ghanaians in accessing health services.
Currently working directly with two other International NGOs – the Phoenix Resource Center Limited (UK) in collaboration with the West African Relief (WAR), PRCGA is poised to complement government’s efforts towards proper improvement of healthcare delivery in the country.
By Joseph Kobla Wemakor|Accra, Ghana