Accra Psychiatric Hospital not sold – Health Minister

The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has dismissed a Herald newspaper report that the Accra Psychiatric Hospital has been sold.

The newspaper in its reportage on Monday, March 14, indicated that the government has sold the Psychiatric hospital to some private investors.

“This follows a durbar held by the Management of the hospital during which they were told that the land on which the hospital sits, has been sold to some foreign investors linked to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

“They have been told that the foreign investors will take over the facility by June, this year, hence they should start psyching themselves up in readiness to leave the place; a state land,” the Herald reported.

“The workers are not sure where they are to go next, as the government has not built any other such specialized health facility in Accra most, especially to move them, as well as their mentally ill patients to. Its sister hospital Pantang is nothing to write home about,” the newspaper reported further.

However, the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu reacting to the story in a post on his Facebook page said:

“The story making rounds that the Accra Psychiatric Hospital has been sold is not true.

“It hasn’t been sold. It is to be redeveloped under Agenda 111 into a new modern 220-bed Psychiatric Hospital under an EPC Contract.

“Tenders have been received and are being evaluated currently.

“Afterwards, it will go for VFM, Cabinet and loan will go for Parliamentary approval.”

The minister furthered that the Ministry might relocate staff of the Accra Psychiatric hospital to Pantang Hospital.

“Staff might be relocated to Pantang to make way for redevelopment, but the authorities will ensure that until and unless all steps towards getting the contractor on-site are completed and contractor is ready to commence work, there will be no relocation,” Agyeman-Manu concluded.