In a statement issued by their chairperson, Jamilatu Hussein, the nurses at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital said they were compelled to put their safety above patient care.
This, they said, was after several fruitless attempts to get a lasting solution to the problems that had persisted at the hospital for years, thus exposing both patients and staff to high risks of infection.
They said as a result of the shortage of essential medications required for psychiatric management, most patients had relapsed, with many of them demonstrating serious aggressive behaviors towards staff and other patients.
These physical assaults have resulted in varying degrees of injury and disability, spreading fear and panic among the staff and even the patients to the extent that the focus now was on staff protection rather than patient care.
“Effective Monday 31st October 2016, no nurse will subject him/herself to the danger posed by the workplace until such a time when we have reasonable cause to believe that the place is made safe,” said the nurses’ statement.
The psychiatric hospital in September shut down its outpatient department due to financial challenges.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital Dr. Pinaman Appau has told local media that several attempts to address the facility’s challenges had failed. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
